MRJ to talk turf tomorrow
If you're interested in tomorrow's turf discussion, you may want to pick up a copy of Tuesday's MRJ. I understand they'll likely be running an article on how the turf talk is taking shape.
As for me, I'm still wondering what criteria were used in determining the appropriateness of this grant. For example, what process was used to vet and prioritize this project by the funding agency, the Department of Environmental Protection?
Tim White
31 comments:
from the MRJ article
"Town Councilor Michael Ecke points to the thousands of artificial fields all over the country that have been installed without health repercussions. Artificial turf is the preferred playing surface of the NFL, Ecke said, adding that he is not aware of any actual cases of illness due to chemicals released from tire crumb filler."
He is not accurate and he's obviously biased in his opinions. If you google NFL and preferred playing surfaces you'll find many players prefer natural grass. How can he say there's no ill effects from the crumb rubber? Read all the info on the toxins and cancer causing chemicals in crumb rubber. Should we risk our kids health for a turf field? Who's to say down the road they won't develop serious health issues? Finally, if you research MRSA,you'll find greater risks with artificial turf and deaths of athletes in Texas caused by MRSA contracted from abrasions from artificial turf.
Also from the article:
"Acceptance of the funds will allow an ad-hoc Board of Education subcommittee to study the cost and environmental and health effects of installing artificial turf."
What kind of BS is this? An anonymous donor gave the education foundation $10,000 to do a "study" (which we never heard a word about). Gee, I wonder who the donor was? That's something the council should look into and make public. Talk about doing things ass backwards. The superintendent hopes accepting the funds will "spur" fundraising efforts to close the gap in costs.
The taxpayers are going to get screwed over yet again.
If the majority railroads this through tonight, while leaving the pool problems unresolved, it will cost them the next election.
Come on Elizabeth and Laura, exercise some independent thinking. You don't have to march in lockstep.
You think they'll allow graduations on a turf field? Or will the parents (moms in particular)have to wear "turf shoes" instead of sharp high heels?
Sounds like they will have to move Relay.
I wonder if the added uses will cover the maintenance expence? Who will be using it now besides the football team, band and Lacrosse team??
I am sure the AD will be cautious to let anyone use it.
We really need to see plans of use from them.
FYI
The AD is getting all the school coaches and parents to show up tonight in support of the Turf.
Maybe they should have a container outside the room to take up collections.
We need to have support against it!
The whole process has been rigged. We all know that Hall, Ecke, and Altieri will vote in favor of the turf no matter what gets said. Laura always just goes along with her fellow dems and Esty will likely do the same.
Look what happened at budget time. The majority of people from the public who spoke wanted to go with "plan B" but the council majority didn't listen. They won't listen now either because it's RIGGED.
Tim,
The question is..."What are you going to do? What are the R's ready to do if this goes down?" Are you goin to protest and walk out? Are you goin to let this get away from us like boiler gate?
This is a big test for the R's and will show your base what you are made of...
Nobody asks hard questions? How did this start? Who asked for the money? Why $525,000? What a bunch of BS. Are these people(TC) actually representing us or just some group? They never vote out of step. Only once. She got replaced fast.
Will the lawyers firm be held responsible if the Town is blamed for an injury or health concern 5-10 years down the road from the turf field?
They never vote out of step. Only once. She got replaced fast.
ha! you follow this closely. Dissent is not appreciated within the majority caucus.
As for anyone being held responsible for anything... I certainly felt as though most of my questions went unanswered tonight.
Looked like Ecke was texting all his friends after the turf vote. Things are moving along with this turf just as they have planned. With a turf study group consisting of all those who want the turf, the results will surely paint a pretty picture of the whole project.
The TS is BS!!
Mr. Beher said he would not approve the installation of the turf unless it is deemed safe. Well, as far as I'm concerned that means it can't be installed. I've read numerous articles regarding the health issues. Are they going to only look at the reports that favor and throw out all the reports that don't? What happens when children become sick, are we prepared for lawsuits? I also love it when everyone brings up the fact that the field is a "community field", since when? I'd like to ask all the residents of Cheshire, which are not involved in athletics or Relay for Life, and see how many have set foot on this field. My guess would be "0".
Laura DeCaprio said that since there's an interest in doing this turf project and they've formed a study group and have come this far, it would be unfair for the council to refuse these funds. When the study is done and only part of the difference has been raised with fundraisers, my guess it she'll use the same excuse and approve the project with additional funding from the town.
Get ready to open your checkbooks!
Florio was of course given the last word before the vote. He said, "WE WILL NOT EVER PUT STUDENTS AT RISK."
We already know there are risks. This should be a dead deal.
So it turns out that neither Elizabeth Esty or Laura DeCaprio are capable of thinking independently, outside the party line. Just like in the old Soviet Union. And Esty now wants to go to Hartford to become a stooge of party bosses who run the state.
Tim is right :
RUBBER STAMPERS.
I voted for Laura thinking she would be good for the regular guy...my mistake. She has become some type of attack dog for the Dems(of which I am one)...disappointing as she clearly toes the party line...as a taxpayer, it just seeems so clear that this is not a good time for this...I believe that "looking into it" is just a precurser to jamming it thru. we really could send a message by saying No. Her whole rant about hypocrisy was one of the dumbist things i ever heard...its obvious we don't need grants that end up costing the town more money...I thought that was a given.
"Her whole rant about hypocrisy was one of the dumbist things i ever heard..."
Could be the Paris Hilton of the TC.
Who voted for her?
2:35 PM
Because all the Republicans on the council voted against the turf, does that mean they are incapable of independent thinking?
11:18 AM
How do you know there are risks with turf? Have you read the original report or scientific study? Have you researched the chemicals that were emitted by the tire crumbs? Did you know that one of the chemicals cited as a carcinogen in the EHHI report is actually present in many of the foods you eat?
No, it means they all know the priorities of this town. They know the difference between a "want" and a "need". They are all fiscally responsible. That's what it means!!!
9:32 & 9:36 Give it up Mike. You don't care about health risks - you just want your turf.
How could you not vote against this? My daughter would benefit from this as a CHS athlete, but that isn't even in the equation as far as I am concerned. We dont have an Alcohol/drug advisor in CHS, Florio said, because it was cut out of the budget(see BOE meeting regarding the survey)....but you will put out extra expense for turf? Huh?
I can bet that no one who has posted to this blog about the potential health risks of turf has bothered to read the reports. That's a sure sign of not thinking independently.
I can't understand why people are concerned about health issues. For years the government wasn't concerned about health issues. If people wanted to smoke, they let them and if they got one of the many diseases attributable to smoking it was their own fault. It's the same with the turf, you can read the research and pick the research that 9 out of 10 doctors prefer turf over grass, or you can believe breathing the dust and emitted chemicals can affect your health.
Well, the good part is that any health issue will probably not affect the students before they graduate, so it would be hard for anyone to pin their health problems on the turf, and therefore the town would not be sued, and the people that got it installed would probaly never find out that their actions caused any harm.
So, in the end, it's up to the users to do their own research and if the decide to use the turf, then it is their own fault if they get sick.
10:18 in short, most of the evidence I've seen reports carcinogens in the rubber crumb... but the long-term effects are inconclusive.
Nonetheless, with so many people (incl. AG Blumenthal) concerned, I think seeing the results of ongoing studies makes sense.
Anonymous said...
I can bet that no one who has posted to this blog about the potential health risks of turf has bothered to read the reports. That's a sure sign of not thinking independently.
July 09, 2008 10:18 PM
I bet they have read the reports. Why don't you give us the web address for whatever report you read so we can be sure we're on the same page. If you can't name the site then your words mean nothing.
"Because all the Republicans on the council voted against the turf, does that mean they are incapable of independent thinking?"
It means that they are not willing to put this town any more in debt while we still have a huge white elephant that needs attention.
I hope when it is 90 degrees outside and that turf is 120 degrees and the coaches can't practice they remember this is what they wanted.
I sure hope they are willing to lose some of their funds to pay for this, maybe even an assistant coach or 2.
This Democrat sees two bottom lines :
(1) Health & environment dangers are inconclusive (at best); the AG is still investigating. Council majority should have deferred.
(2) We have no business doing this until the pool problem is fixed. This is the height of fiscal recklessness.
I am deeply disappointed by my party's members of the council. It's obvious they put a pet project ahead of the town's bigger needs.
Below are the 4 chemical that were detected in the vapor phase of tire crumbs heated to 60˚ C. Only one, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), is a recognized carcinogen. However, BHA is widely used in the food industry as an antioxidant.
From the Sixth Annual Report on Carcinogens:
BHA is added to butter, lard, meats, cereals, baked goods, sweets, beer, vegetable oils, potato chips, snack foods, nuts and nut products, dehydrated potatoes, and flavoring agents. It is used in sausage, poultry and meat products, dry mixes for beverages and desserts, sugar and yeast, and emulsion stabilizers for shortenings (Kirk-Othmer 1979b, 1981b, IARC 1986). BHA is widely used in the food industry.
For those of you not familiar with Google: the report from EHHI and the toxicology report on BHA.
There is a rumor that Matt Bowman put up the $10,000 to study the turf. Is this true? Why would he do that?
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