Council Deadlocked on Memorial Field
Members of the Washington Township Council voted on both sod and artificial turf at their meeting Monday, but neither motion passed.
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A solution for the problems at Memorial Field has not yet been picked, despite votes for re-sodding or installing artificial turf during the Washington Township Council's meeting Monday night.
Residents have been complaining about the condition of the field, which has netting sticking through its surface from the last time it was sodded. Re-sodding the field would, along with other necessary work, cost about $150,000 and last between four and six years before needing to be replaced, according to township engineer Paul Azzolina. It would likely be cheaper to replace in the future once the netting had been removed. Switching to artificial turf is estimated to cost $3.2 million, and members of the township recreation board said it would not need to be replaced for at least 15 years.
After a lengthy discussion at the meeting about Memorial and Sherry Fields, Councilman Fred Goetz motioned to bond for $150,000 to pay for the removal of old sod, installation of the new sod and repairs to the drainage system at Memorial Field. The lowest bid for re-sodding the field came in at about $111,000, and council members decided to pursue a slightly higher bid from the same contractor for better-quality sod that could be used "almost immediately" after it is installed, according to Azzolina. The council had included only $40,000 for the project in the annual budget.
"We should make it safe right now," Goetz said.
Goetz, along with Council Vice President Joseph D'Urso and Council President Richard Hrbek voted in favor of re-sodding. Councilmen Steve Cascio and Glenn Beckmeyer voted against. Four affirmative votes were needed to pass the motion.
Beckmeyer then motioned to bond for $3.2 million to pay for artificial turf and new lights at Memorial Field. He and Cascio voted in favor of the plan. Hrbek, D'Urso and Goetz voted against.
"I'm a big fan of the artificial surface," Cascio said. "I think it's going to pay for itself down the road."
D'Urso cited the high cost of the project as a concern. Officials also spoke about a costly road repaving plan and other capital expenses at the meeting.
"To me, $3 million is way to much money to spend right now," D'Urso said.
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B@B
7:37 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Mr. D'Urso is right. $3.2 million divided by 15 years is $213,333.33 per year. Even if sod lasts only four years, then over 16 years the cost would be $600,000. Even figuring inflation into the equation, it is STILL more cost-effective to sod every 4-6 years.
To do anything else is to add the Recreation commission to the toxic stew of self-interested people, along with the owner of Seasons, who want to run this town, heedless of the taxpayers.
dan 4 WT
10:22 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
The sod has lasted 1-2 years for the past 3 re-soddings. If you are going to try and manage play on new sod, then you will have to finace paying to play elsewhere - Westwood HS, Westwood's new Rec facility, Waldwick bubble, etc.
I guarentee your grandkids are playing on nicer/ safer recreational fields than our kids here in WT. And yes, our toxic self-interest is for our kids. Don't spin us into the Season's issue for the sake of your self-interested point.
B@B
10:51 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Youth sports are not the sum total of this town. Those who want to spare no expense on sports field are perfectly willing to let everything else the town needs fall by the wayside, as long as we can "Keep up with the Joneses" on sports fields.
What is the obsession with sports? Does everyone in town think their little darling is going to be the next professional sports player to build his parents a nice big house here in town? Do you care as much about your kids' academic achievements as you do about whether they are big, strong, or fast?
I have voted in favor of every school budget for the last 15 years except one where there was $700,000 allocated for lights for the football field at the high school. I'm all in favor of paying to have our town's young people prepared for the world they are going to inherit -- a world that is going to require critical thinking, curiosity, and intellectual discipline. Only a very few kids get that athletic scholarship, let alone make it to the pros.
As for recreational facilities, we have absolutely nothing for the kids who aren't fast, strong, or well-coordinated. Our roads are masses of potholes and divots ( Try driving on Sussex Road sometime). Foreclosed homes are turning into havens for mold and critters and vermin. At some point we have to set priorities, and this town cannot afford this silly competition with other towns to see who has the most professional-caliber sports facilities to feed parents' pipe dreams.
WT Resident
11:05 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
B@B - would you at least agree that the council should at least move forward with sodding the field?
B@B
11:43 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Township resident: Yes.
Joe Taxpayer
9:01 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Please update the picture of the field. Actually it looks good now. If the teams don't overuse it there isn't a need for anything. It isn't Yankee Stadium or Clark Field but it serves its purposed. The majority of Twp. taxpayers vote status quo. ENOUGH SPENDING!
dan 4 WT
9:59 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Because currently, noone is using it on a regular basis. When soccer, football, and softball start playing on field again, the look of the field will return to this picture - so don't replace it. And obviously you do not have children who will play on this extremely dangerous surface. We live in northern Bergen County...look around us and see what other towns have (recreational fields) for their kids. You people against it need to move to Florida. If not, please stay out of this. To make up for the tax increase, drink one less cup of prune juice each day - will offset the infinitismal increrase.
Newsflash
9:33 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Towns not to far from us are running out of money and not able to pay their bills. Unless we succeed at taking back our government in November, we are all in jeopardy. The logic that the interest rates are low now and this is a good time to bond doesn't sit well with me. We need to be very conservative now so we will be able to weather what is to come.
Newsflash
9:50 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Just to clarify I was referring to the federal government not our Mayor and Council who i think are doing a good job.
Concerned
11:23 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Doing a good job? Which of their "decsions" or reccommendations did you think were great?
Joe Taxpayer
9:51 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Why can't the football and lacrosse programs work out a deal with the HS to use their turf field? If it costs money, up the cost for the participants.
Give the taxpayers a break! Stop spending!
WT Resident
10:57 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Joe Taxpayer - what about summer rec, baseball, girls softball, soccer, and men's softball? They all use the field also. Where do you propose they play? Even the high school does not have enough capacity (even at a price) to handle township recreation. Providing suitable fields (sod or turf) is the TOWN'S responsibility not the high school's. I'm not arguing for or against turf in this case, but I would certainly expect that a decision be made and move forward with one or the other or there will be no field available this coming fall.
WT Dad
11:08 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Kudos to Mr D'Urso, Goetz, and Hrbek for being fiscally responsible and recognizing there are greater priorities in this town to address. The field is more than adequate for playing RECREATIONAL sports. I play on it, and my kids have played on it. The safety issue is way overblown. We don't need to keep up with the Jones'. Fix the roads, give the DPW the equipment they need, pay the cops. The kids will be in high school before you know it and get to play on the turf then. Keep it in perspective, this is only recreational sports.
Concerned
11:20 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Cascio says turf more cost efficient over time. Maybe he needs another math class. $3,2000,000 divided by $150,000 (and future costs supposedly would be less) = 21 times we could resod over 15 years. Where's the cost effectiveness? Let's resod and maybe over the 5 or 6 years that it is estimated to last we will have a Council that can reach a fiscally responsible decision. Less bickering more smarts.
JB2011
12:24 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
@ B&B I don't live in Township, but in Westwood so the sod issue doesn't really make a bit of difference to me. But I'll add my two cents anyway.... I've noticed that when my son is playing soccer he is incredibly organized, in better physical shape, learns about being on a team, and his grades improve. Please don't underestimate the importance of sports Life lessons are learned on the fields - turf or sod..
Colonial Blvd Res
3:52 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Yes, we need to spend MILLIONS on sports...what a joke....we all know the field is for the parents...the kids dont care what they play on. Where I grew up, we had an awful field..I never noticed....where I lived in Brooklyn (until fairly recently), there was no grass on the infield and the kids didnt even have matching uniforms. Get over yourself Twp sports heads....we need to fix the roads first....your little darlings dont need the finest million dollar turf to play sports. I like sports, and am all for them, but without question, academics, science and math are FAR more important.
Do any of you sports parents still play football? Any of you still play baseball? No, you play a few years as a kid and never again. So while its important to provide for sports, its not THAT IMPORTANT. Its an ESPN fueled-sports maniac culture that many of us see as rediculous in your spending. Because towns like River Vale blow their taxpayer funds on lights and turf we have to? Many RV residents that I know despise that decision.
How about arts, culture, music - they get nothing, and sports wants a million plus for TURF.....
SPEND ON REAL EXPENSES IN THIS TOWN PLEASE
Bravo to the council!
Concerned
4:40 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
I agree. But remember that's only half the Council that gets your Bravo.
dan 4 WT
8:31 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Move back to Brooklyn. Otherwise get with the program. We need the field and roads paved. You live in northern Bergen County. Not Bed-Sty.
Mrs JT
1:21 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Small minded sports parents thinking of themselves. They care not about our increasing tax bills and crumbling roads. Disgraceful. We see right through you...NO TURF NEEDED....the math above speaks for itself...NO TURF!
TWP taxpayer
9:44 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Mrs JT ..you nailed it right on the head...Dan sounds just like the kind of parent that wants to spend millions on turf....just because were in Bergen County! Im guessing he stormed out of that meeting with the others when they didnt get their way. We got a laugh out of that news...Exactly the mentality you would expect from these people....we dont need turf, we need lower taxes and repaired roads...
township resident
10:17 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
To Concerned, Colonial Blvd. Res, and Mrs JT: The problem is that you are being lied to by Councilman Hrbek and the council and you are uneducated with regard to this project. The facts are that the project dollar amount is less than 1.8 million, nowhere near 3.2. Over 15 years the spending would be 127.000.00 a year. The problem is councilman Hrbek , Durso and Geotz are resodding every two years and with all the maintainance costs to maintain it , They end up spending 128,000.00 a year. I ll bet you did'nt know that. These are the facts that you as a taxpayer ar'nt told. After 15 years funding a artificial surface, the value is what remains. A fully functional drainage system with a value of over 900,000.00, not a run down grass surface which has limited use for our recreation community. But , besides the value, and handling the growth of the sports community, year 16 you pocket the money you would be spending for annual maintanance with sod. And thats done every year forever. Also, sod has doubled in price in the last three years. I ll bet you did'nt know that either. You complain about tax money and recreation and sports but you accept unnecessary spending and wasting tax dollars on false solutions because you are being lied to. Get educated. I guess councilman beckmeyer and cassio are pretty good at math.
Concerned
2:48 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Hi Township resident-The 3.2 million was not my estimate but the number presented to the Council. There is absolutely no need to spend $127,000 a year if the job is done right. Will you please tell me who "lied" about the $3.2 and who gave you the "correct" estimate..
township resident
4:08 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
concerned: the town council received the proposal from the engineering company to do option # 1 they called it. The bid came in at 2.3 million. BUT, the bid has been reduced over 400,000.00 due to the elimination of a parking change which was initially proposed by the engineering company but declined by the township safety inspector Hackbarth. I ll bet you did'nt know that. There were other elements removed from the plan of over 100,000.00 bringing the complete proposal to 1.8. Council president Hrbek and councilman Durso lied aabout the 3.2 to the public. Just ask Council President Hrbek to varify his statement. He can't The recreation dept. only wanted to fix memorial field. Not put money into Sherry or anywhere else. That was all made up by the council. Did'nt you think it was odd that the council wants to spend money on Sherry field when the recreation dept doesen't even use the field. Its about Memorial and Memorial only. Do the job right! Are you kidding me. Forget the field house, forget the pavillion, Just fix the field. 128 ,000.00 a year for the way that fields condition is right now. In the past 10 years, the township council has wasted over 1.2 million dollars on Memorial field and look what they have today. I ll bet you did'nt know that. The use of that place has tripled in the past five years. It is severly over use and sodding the field four times in ten years is proof it will never work. You say fix it right.
Another Taxpayer
1:09 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
Twp Res.....youre making us laugh with youre one sided argument...Bet you didnt know that...
B@B
8:34 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
Does anyone know if the field on Hillsdale Avenue in Hillsdale (near the 7-11) is turf or grass? If it's grass, then I have to ask why Hillsdale is able to effectively use sod and the Township is not.
James Leggate
9:06 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
B@b- If you mean the field across the street from the middle school, that's grass.
B@B
12:11 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
OK, so why can they keep their field nice and WT can't? Or are they deliberately neglecting it because the rec contingency desperately wants fake grass?
oldmanwtp
5:46 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
Hillsdale doesn't practice on that field. it is for games only . Deliberately neglecting?
Really B@B.
Mr Kim
10:27 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
no, but i agree BOB...they are playing this up for sure.....somehow grass has been good for most everybody else's field for the last 50 plus years.....but now, since other towns have turf...the sports people want it too....forget about education, arts, culture, music....SPORTS must have what they want at any cost...makes us sick!