I’ve thought about this idea since I heard about it late last week, it is not necessarily a bad idea. If done right it would benefit both the school system and the township. The BOE has the expertise in managing and maintaining artificial turf fields already with the athletic fields installed at both high schools and if a mutually acceptable partnership could be worked out then the township gains by being able fulfill a goal of its Parks & Recreation Master Plan.
The P&R Master Plan recommended that the township consider the installation of 2-3 artificial turf fields to go along with the two high school fields if the differences between the BOE and the township could be worked out. By doing so, it would allow the use of the high school fields by the various sports leagues in town and the need for further fields in town would be negated.
Could the Town and the BOE work out such differences? It would be quite an achievement if they could. There are many questions that need to be answered like, who would be responsible for maintaining the fields? What about insurance liabilities? Who would be responsible for supervising or policing them during off hours? Who gets preference of use, the school system or sports leagues? Who replaces the carpet when it wears out in 10 years do to over use? What about lighting, concessions, locker rooms and bathroom facilities? All of these questions and more need to be answered before this project can move forward.
Why not spend that money, which is burning such a hole in the township's pockets on maintaining or improving the currents natural turf fields, or building new ones around town? Over a 20 year period the costs of a natural turf filed is less then that of an artificial turf field.
What makes the artificial fields more desirable is the fact that you can hold more events on them because of the superior drainage and surface, so the additional costs are justified by the number of additional games that can be played on them.
The lingering question in my mind however remains whether or not the township can afford to spend the $2-3 million needed for these fields in a time of economic uncertainty for the township. The township budget has a shortfall of $2.4 million dollars and we are looking at a 9.2% tax increase to make up the difference, to me the installation of any athletic field is a luxury not a necessity at this time.
4 comments:
I think the turf fields are financed through a bond that was already approved a few years ago, so it doesn't affect the budget beyond the interest on the bond.
Chris,
I just got home from the BOE meeting. It was a watse of time to be quite honest with you. The township had no real plan to present and no real answers to questions.
There is a question about the funding for the field. The township keeps saying that there was a bond issued for these fields. I had always heard that there was grant money.
At tonights meeting Tony Mercantante said that the township had to use these funds this year or they would lose them. This does not make sense because if a bond was issued you do not lose that money, where as if it was grant money then of course there would be a time constraint to use.
I am not opposed to the fields per say, I think that it is a good idea, a win-win situation for both but if there is money laying around then it should, if possible be used to off set the tax increase in this years proposed budget.
I guess you know more details, since you went to the meeting. I heard it's a bond, but that would be easy to find out, since the bond ordinance is a public document. Just two comments:
- about timing: there are time constraints on municipal bonds. IRS sets a time limit on using a new bond, which is between 3 and 5 years. So if it was set to 3 years, and the bond ordinance was in 2006, this is about time. Grants also have time limits.
- about use of funds: no matter if it's a bond or a grant, you can't use those funds for anything else than what they were allocated for, in this case the turf fields
Agreed,
But there seems to be a problem this in general, from what I have been told this is excess money left over from a bond and not specifically issued for turf fields.
That could be wrong, but it is what I have been told. I have not scene the ordinance myself to verify the facts.
What I have also been told is that this money could be used to for grass fields and general field improvements to all of the ball fields throughout the township.
If the township does not use this money then let the debt retire, which will then have an impact on the budget.
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