By JUDY SHERARD

jsherard@dailynews.net

In a unanimous vote, the Hays USD 489 Foundation for Education Excellence board handed over the Building F.A.S.T. fitness facility at Hays High School to Hays USD 489.

Foundation board members voted Tuesday evening to transfer the project to the school district after board of education members voted Monday night to use capital outlay money to finish and equip the building.

Finishing the building is expected to cost approximately $136,000. No cost estimate has been given for equipment.

The board of education voted in April to turn oversight of the construction to the foundation, and construction began in August.

Foundation board members also discussed changes to the foundation's bylaws.

If approved, the number of board of education members on the foundation would be cut to two.

Currently, all seven board of education members sit on the foundation board. Fewer board of education members would allow more community members' participation on the foundation board, said Greg Schwartz, foundation board chairman.

"What might be helpful is to put together a job description," said Richard Kraemer, board of education president. "Have a few guidelines and what they're going to be asked to do."

Schwartz suggested when the board changes, it not be chaired by a school board member.

"It further severs the tie to the board (of education)," he said.

Schwartz said he's already talked to some people who might be interested in serving as board members.

The plan is to get "people who are excited about building a foundation that will be proactive in the community, and I think the less that the USD 489 board can dictate, (the more) that board can mature and grow into whatever it becomes, the better off we are," said Alan Moore, a member of the board of eduation.

The foundation board will meet March 5 to consider approving the bylaw changes.