Tackling Greyhills construction needs
School's skilled maintenance crew keeps many projects in-house

Photo by Ray Baldwin Louis
Fred Robbins, Leland Nelson, and Eddie Dodson smooth out cement that was poured on May 31 at Greyhills Academy High School football field.

Photo by Ray Baldwin Louis Fred Robbins, Leland Nelson, and Eddie Dodson smooth out cement that was poured on May 31 at Greyhills Academy High School football field.

TUBA CITY -- The maintenance department personnel at Greyhills Academy High School is like a great in-house band. They can handle any job given to them, according to Director Wilson Norris.

His workers are now busy pouring cement slabs for the bleachers at the Knights football field as a priority project that has been delayed over several months. Norris said that he appreciates his personnel for having varied backgrounds to handle anything from sweeping floors to major construction projects such as putting up the bleachers for the football field.

During the spring, the workers completed the Knights baseball field by installing waterlines, leveling the ground for sod, and helping to spread sand and cinder along the infield. They will be doing the same thing with the softball field later on this summer after they complete the football field.

Norris said that by having the in-house workers do the projects, they are able to save the school some funds that otherwise would all go to a contractor. There are certain specialty projects that they can't do, but they bring in someone with the proper equipment to handle those demands. For example, several holes three-feet wide need to be drilled to hold the cement footing for the light poles needed so they've hired a contractor from Phoenix that specializes in that area to come and do that for them.

The workers have been busy for the past month on the football field. They removed the old goal posts, measured the track to proper size, installed waterlines for sprinklers, and now are pouring cement. Norris said that everyone is involved in the project as time permits. They take care of their regular responsibilities in cleaning the school and then they assist with the outside project.

Norris proudly speaks of his workers and said that he has worked in other places where everything has to be contracted out because the personnel cannot handle the bigger projects they have.

"I'm proud of these guys, they can do anything you ask them," Norris said. "They can handle any small or big project without hesitation."

There is joking and laughter as the workers pound nails into the two by six boards that make up the forms for the cement. They know the cement truck is due so they wipe away some sweat in the hot afternoon and pound away to get everything ready.

It seems that it won't be long until the bleachers begin to go up, but time marches on. Sooner than a six-pack of coke is emptied, it will be kick-time for the first football game. But when you're in-house band can play anything; you wait for the dancing with mops and brooms.

Donate to nhonews.com Report a Typo Contact
Most Read