The artificial turf and track surface at Meredith Memorial Stadium in Mineola will be replaced to the tune of more than $1.3 million.

Following Monday’s second round of discussion on the topic, the school board agreed to a plan that will finance the cost over eight years, beginning in 2023.

The work is expected to be completed during the summer.

The district has two more payments from the installation of the artificial turf which had an 8-year pay out.

That $120,000 per year payment will be increased in 2023 to $172,000, and business manager William Bjork said another $43,000 per year will be set aside so that the district can complete recommended refreshes to extend the life of the surfaces.

Those refreshes were not done to the district’s first artificial turf and track, which could have extended the life past the payout period.

Included in the replacement bids are an extra shock pad under the turf and a type of infill that will help keep the surface cooler during hot weather.

The pay out was decided in lieu of taking the entire amount out of fund balance, in order to preserve those funds. The interest rate will be 2.6%.

The company doing the work, Hellas, is also providing at no cost a sweeper machine to assist with maintenance and annual maintenance that would cost about $3,500.