Board of Ed approves plan expanded by Turf Committee to $3 million
February 3, 2012
by Christine Yeres
The Chappaqua Turf Committee (TCTC) has plans to expand its original $2 million fundraising campaign for turf installation on the Greeley Competition Field to include another $1 million for improvements and additions to the surrounding area. On Tuesday, board of education members voted to accept up to $3 million in private donations TCTC intends to raise. At the same time, the board amended its contract with The WBA Group to include the additional design and engineering services—all contingent upon receiving the funds from the TCTC.
Installation of the turf by fall of 2012 remains TCTC’s priority, but additional restrooms, walkways, improvement to the concession stand, the track, and tennis courts are now in the committees sights as well. TCTC currently has around a half-million in donations and pledges.
In its application to the NYS Education Department for the required approvals for the fields project, the board will include needed roof repairs to the Greeley gym. By doing so, the entire $3 million project—turf field and roof repair—qualifies for state aid of around 30% of the cost, resulting in $900,000 back to the school district, spread out over 15 years.
The Chappaqua Turf Committee’s Expanded Plans
Additonal fees (not shown) are associated with each
• reconstruct the running track—$380,000
• replace tennis court lights (with same as on football field, directed downward)—$110,000
• resurface the tennis courts—$30,000
• concession stand, mechanical room, restrooms—$40,000
• entrance plaza and walkway to the field—$210,000
• correct drainage to visitor side of the field—$20,000
• construct restrooms—$104,000
• septic and sewer—$20,000
• scoreboard matrix—$90,000
• press box renovation (at the top of the home bleachers)—$25,000
• move the handicap ramp to the bleachers (they now prevent access to the ground floor storage under the press box)—$8,000
Chappaqua’s school board is thinking about adding a third topic to its strategic questions list, which help direct and shape district policy.
At their meeting Tuesday, board members discussed whether or not the well being of students, including social, emotional and physical health, should be enshrined at a higher level.
The Board should investigate the emotional cost of being a member of a sports team at Horace Greeley before any superficial upgrade. The kids who get asked to leave teams and miraculously get put back. The lack of enforced rules. The fact that their is no code of conduct or athletic code enforced.
Reading about the upgrades and the cost is an disgrace.
Makes sense that the track would need work after ripping up the field to put all that rubber in. Many of us who have undergone home renovations can relate to this slippery slope of money.
At this point in time, with unprecedented financial woes happening both locally and world wide, perhaps its time to just make do with grass.
Let me get this straight. There are classrooms at grafflin right near an office with mold in it and there is a turf committee finding a way to procure 3 million dollars for a new football field?
#prioriitiesbungled
“While others struggle, the community of Chappaqua in New Castle New York, the already controversial artificial turf football field upgrade morphs into multimillion sports arena complex”
Dad’s gone wild….
While I applaud the turf committee for their perseverance and diligence in attempting to get our community a long overdue turf field (seems almost every district already has one) I can not help but be furious that they are now going to raise private money for other projects as well. I was prepared to make some sort of donation for the turf field even though my taxes are already ridiculously high. But why must we privately fund the construction of bathrooms, septic and sewer, walkway, running track, and resurfacing of tennis courts? Shouldn’t our sky high taxes pay for this? We already are asked to donate to countless school district fund raising activities for athletic teams, performing arts programs, award programs, debate and Model UN, various “class” initiatives like “senior week” or dances. It seems like every week we are being asked to contribute more and more at the same time are taxes go up and up.
There is something very wrong when our taxes go up, our students are having their programs cut or eliminated and class size gets bigger while we are continually be asked to “donate” to some school district cause because we don’t have enough money in the budget - YET our teachers are getting raises, our administration gets bigger and more expensive, and benefits and entitlements continue out of control. I will donate no more until and unless our CCSD Board of Education begins to address this issue.
With all the school taxes we pay why must we now get solicited to make private and extra donations for such basic upkeep and facilities? While we can debate the need for a turf field there is no doubt that basic needs and upkeep be met. Shouldn’t there be enough in the budget to build handicap access, bathrooms, tennis court upkeep and maintenence, and septic-sewer hookup? As much as I would like to help, I won’t give one penny until the teachers union freezes salaries and begins to share the responsibility for their own healthcare and pensions.
@ the cost is not what should be considered:
Although it was not reported here, if you watch the video, one board member did suggest that an athletic code of conduct be enforced and that an honor system be considered at the high school to address academic dishonesty.
Unless the running track is in disprepair, why replace it? How about just putting some kind of protective cover over it during the construction of the synthetic grass field.
“Resident Taxpayer”,
You answered your own question. All of our money is pouring into the coffers of our teachers and administration so we have no money left to install a field that actually SAVES money on maintenance, injuries, potential legal liabilities, etc.
Our greedy teachers, silent as their union bribes politicians and threatens anyone who defies them, wallow in the 1% while they roundly criticize those of us who pay for them to be so. They are a giant vacuum, sucking money out of our family earnings and savings, as they live the life of Reilly. 37 work weeks a year, 15 weeks of vacation, $4 million in their pension accounts, and healthcare essentially for free.
No wonder we private citizens have to pay for the field and upgrades.
Has the school district and the community looked over and discussed the findings by the NY State Dept of Health regarding synthetic turf?
here’s a link:
http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/outdoors/synthetic_turf/crumb-rubber_infilled/fact_sheet.htm
Here is another interesting resource:
http://www.synturf.org/health.html
Why? Why are we spending millions of dollars on a plastic field for our sports teams? Why aren’t we fixing the mold in the schools and teaching our kids to write research papers?
This is truly a case of misplaced priorities and - as someone said above - a slippery slope.
Can’t we just say no?
Maggie,
WE are not spending money on turf. It is coming from private donations. Residents who want to invest in our kids!! The school district and our students will be receiving $3 million in assets for FREE!!! How can you possible be against that?
The money for mold and writing should come from the $115 million school budget - you want the mold remediated and more writing - then have the courage to stand up to the teachers union and demand that scarce budget dollars not go entirely to pay for raises in salaries, benefits and mandates that the union receives by buying-off NYS legislators. Without these massive increases in compensation and benefits, we can invest in the students and buildings.
You obviously care deeply, so why not be honest, accept the problem and constructively tackle it rather than going after the private turf donors. I just don’t understand any of you???
Not only is it $3 million in DONATED facility upgrades, but it is also $900,000 in state aid reimbursement. Read the article (RTFA). That part goes to offset taxes in the budget. Use the 900k to pay for mold abatement or to teach writing.
I get that it’s private money. I totally get that. Given that, why isn’t it happening on private land?
Furthermore, the people who so deeply want a plastic playing field seem to have brushed aside any environmental or health concerns.
And why are we putting high school sports on such a pedestal? The argument that “all the other towns have artificial turf” only works if you care about competing with other towns.
How about playing football for the sake of fun and getting muddy?
Please consider changing your minds about how you choose to spend your money on New Castle’s kids and the adults working with them. How about donating money toward the mold remediation and other repairs instead of on fake grass?
How is spending $ on a turf field and investment in our kids? There will only be a higher prevalence of injuries that will be sustained by our kids in the younger years of their lives. If our kids can’t play for as many days because of weather and drainage issues, that is life, far better option than placing them on a surface that is going to cause greater injuries and end many athletic “careers” very early on in life. There is no ‘if’ in this analysis, it is a well documented fact. What will you say to the many children that aspire to play sports in college, or simply enjoy a lifetime of athletic participation, who will only see those aspirations end in their teen years when they sustain an injury that would otherwise not occur on a natural turf field?
also, I should think there are much better uses for $3million in donation money. Perhaps the 1% that wants this and is funding it could actually do something for this town that would benefit the town instead of further making it look like an elite country club.
