LEWISTON — Plans are under way to try to raise interest and money to build an artificial turf football field at Lewiston High School, hopefully in three years.

The project at Franklin Pasture would cost $750,000, according to documents given to the School Committee on Monday night.

Officials hope to raise half of that money privately, the other half through property taxpayers via eventual approval of the city’s capital improvement program.

“The Franklin Pasture Athletic Trustees hold $117,000 in funds,” school Superintendent Bill Webster said. “We’re exploring the possibility of those funds being a kick-start to a capital plan that would raise enough to fund half of the cost of this.”

Lewiston High School Athletic Director Jason Fuller will ask the trustees when they meet next week, Webster said. Meanwhile, the artificial turf field is on the city’s proposed capital improvement plan for 2015.

Fuller listed several reasons why an artificial field is needed.

The existing natural grass field, built more than 10 years ago, “is a great facility,” he said.

Initially the field was used in the fall for football and soccer. Then lacrosse was added in the spring, taking away one growing season for grass.

The field is used so much “it takes a beating,” he said. “Two springs ago I had to move all my games to Bates College because the field was flat-out unplayable.”

Fuller called the field “a money pit,” adding $15,000 to $20,000 a year is spent for maintenance. Considering that, “it would be a wise decision to move to an artificial surface, one that could support year-round athletics,” he said.

An artificial field could better handle wear and tear, be used nine months a year, creating more sports opportunities. “Everybody could play there in the summer,” Fuller said. “It would benefit not just our program, but everybody in the community.”

School Committee member Jim Handy asked about injuries on artificial turf.

Fuller said in the early days of the fields, there were more injuries. “They didn’t have the give.” Since then, the fields have been improved, he said. They offer a better and safer playing situation than grass, Fuller said.

On the existing field “there are days before a game where something has sunk. It’s a natural thing with grass. . . . You’re running in one direction and it drops 3 inches,” Fuller said.

Students who played at Bates College’s artificial turf field “could not believe the difference on how more enjoyable it was,” he said. “They moved better. It is a safer situation.”

Handy said drainage is such a problem at the existing field that it’s often too wet to use. He asked if an artificial turf field would remedy that.

Yes, Fuller said. An artificial field is built with drainage pipes every 5 yards, keeping the field dry even after heavy rains.

Because the existing field has night lights, ample parking and stands, Fuller said he could see the area generating rental income by hosting statewide tournaments.

The expected lifespan of the top layer of artificial turf is 10 to 15 years. Money from rentals could be put aside to cover the $405,000 turf replacement cost in 10 to 15 years, which is what’s done at Portland’s artificial turf Fitzpatrick Field, Fuller said.

Webster said Monday night that an artificial field now is just a wish. “The trustees would have to agree to that. It’s early in the game.”

But it seems a reasonable hope, Webster said. “We’re prepping the City Council for what may be down the road.”

In other business:

* The committee approved the creation of an audit committee to provide better oversight. Appointed to that subcommittee by Chairman Tom Shannon were Elizabeth Dube and Bob Connors, both new committee members with budgeting experience.

* Committee members heard an update on the request to the city to give the Multi-Purpose Building to the School Department, which would mean finding a new home for city recreation programs. Webster said he’s “cautiously optimistic” the city will grant the request, but that prospects of moving senior citizen programs to the Knights of Columbus building are becoming less hopeful. Negotiations are continuing, and the armory or Lincoln Street fire station could also house programs. Wesbter said he hopes to have an answer by Feb. 7.

* Committee student representative Marina Affo asked three questions Lewiston High students are wondering:

* Why can’t students use debit cards at lunch?

* Why are so many laptops broken and unusable?

* Why are parts of Lewiston High School cold, and other parts warm?

“We’ll look into that,” Webster said, promising to get her answers.

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