Open forum - June 16, 2010
Jimmy Sima's Council Planning Committee discussed the turf tonight. Anyone have an update?
The Red Cross will be collecting blood at St. Thomas Beckett (across from Norton) on Friday from 1:30pm to 7:00pm. I won't be able to make it, but do need to donate soon. Due to my vacation last summer, I can't donate for a year. But I did just get a call from the Red Cross. They need my type-O negative in a big way... so if you have O negative... please try to donate soon. They have a serious crunch.
I started an FB event page Remember to vote on the Cheshire Pool. Hope you get out next Tuesday... and remind your friends and neighbors as well.
What else is happening?
Tim White
15 comments:
Regarding the planning committee meeting on turf tonight...I'll try to keep it short:
The Superintendent is going to ask the BOE to make a motion to add the cost of the turf field plus replacement of the track field to the 5 year capital plan. It was determined that the this needs to be included in capital plan so it can be tracked appropriately.
There was discussion about having the TM sign the contract appropriating the grant. The planning committee isn't ready to forward that motion to the TC yet pending the hard costs for turf and track replacement.
Meanwhile....last Friday the BOE planning committee met to discuss the turf committees requests. All that was decided was to allow the turf committee to interview engineering firms. The turf committee wants to hire an engineering firm for the design phase of the project. Without the design phase, there are no plans, without plans we don't have hard costs, bids won't happen, etc, etc.
The turf committee was adamant that the design phase would identify the true hard costs of the field/track.
On June 28th, the BOE will meet. The turf committee will have completed their interviews by then and will ask the BOE to allocate approximately ~$11K towards hiring an engineering firm for the design phase only. Should the BOE pass the motion then the money will be reimbursed from the donations.
At some point during this process, the TC or TC Planning Committee is going to decide who will own this project: the BOE or PBC.
In the meantime, the BOE has a number of votes to make on the matter starting with the 6/28 vote.
I believe, based on what I heard tonight, is that the goal is to have the costs identified so that IF the hard costs are higher than anticipated then it may need to go to a November referendum. I believe the cost that may trigger this is the cost for the drainage around the track as well as the track replacement itself since there's not enough money in the current capital plan to cover track replacement (let alone drainage).
At least there was agreement that the hard costs are not yet known for both projects and are needed in order to proceed accordingly.
In attendance was:
Jim Sima
Dave Schrumm
Tim Slocum
Justin Adinolfi
Michael Milone
Vincent Masciana
Bob Behrer
Mike Ecke
Matt Bowman
Steve Trifone
Bill Keely?
I probably missed a couple of people so I apologize.
It appeared that the cart was being put before the horse...without hard costs...and a plan...there's not much to discuss until votes are made on the BOE and hard costs have been calculated. But there was consensus to get these details ironed out by September.
I'll post more on this later, long night.
Tony Perugini
What happens if we spend the 11k and then decide not to go through with the field? Does the town get stuck for the bill? Did someone donate funds for preliminary work and not expect it back if the plans don't get OK'd?
The bathrooms in our schools are a mess but we are going to spend a bunch of money on turf and now a new track....
Has anyone looked at the LIABILITY that will be created for the town when teen athletes start blowing out their MCL's & ACL's on the artificial turf. Who is going to pay for those lawsuits???
what about the liability that will be created when teen athletes start blowing out their MCL's & ACL's on the articial turf???
What about when they find out that the recycled rubber tires that they use on these fields cause cancer or other illnesses?
What's with the story I'm hearing about that Patton Drive party? The cops tipped off the coach cop and he went there and took his kid out of the house and tells the parents to get out of the house, then the other cops move in and bust up the party giving 10-9's to the rest.
Isn't that obstruction of justice? Think the pd and boe need to look into it.
"What happens if we spend the 11k and then decide not to go through with the field? Does the town get stuck for the bill? Did someone donate funds for preliminary work and not expect it back if the plans don't get OK'd?"
No refunds. In fact, Matt Bowman stated that there's donated money in the Cheshire Education Foundation specifically for the purpose of track/field design. If the town/BOE decides not to pursue the project there's no refund back to either CEF or the 5013c corp that's holding the donations for turf.
"The bathrooms in our schools are a mess but we are going to spend a bunch of money on turf and now a new track...."
The bathrooms are apparently not a concern for the administration. But the latest news is that instead of gutting/reinventing the boys locker room there's talk of a building a field house at CHS. This was on the agenda for discussion at the last BOE Planning committee meeting but never made it to the table as time ran out and the only topic discussed was turf. There is no plan, no designs and no consensus as to what the solution will be for the boys locker room yet. We also added more CHS bathrooms to the 5 year capital plan.
There may be a planning committee meeting on bathrooms in July. I know Vincent Masciana wants to put together a committee to review and recommend a plant of attack. That should start ASAP and not wait until Fall when the next school year begins.
Tony P
"Has anyone looked at the LIABILITY that will be created for the town when teen athletes start blowing out their MCL's & ACL's on the artificial turf. Who is going to pay for those lawsuits???"
The turf committee believes there will be less injuries with artificial turf. But safety is just one of the items related to turf that the BOE will need to review. I suspect that the PBC will need to review similar concerns.
Regarding last night's planning commitee meeting...it's unfortuante these sub-committee meetings are not well attended or televised. The ratings would be through the roof.
Regarding the design phase, so long as it doesn't cost the Town of Cheshire a penny, let them prepare designs because without one we won't know the hard costs associated with the project. I just don't understand why the turf has to be a priority right now. I've asked folks on the turf committee if it's critical to install turf this year and the answer was "No, it could wait".
I believe the anxiety among the supporters and elected officials is that the grant can be rescinded by Hartford,at any time. In fact, considering the financial mess Hartford is in, I wouldn't be surprised if Hartford takes back the grant money after November election.
The new Giant/Jets field got tested and one player had a knee injury(Out for the season). We don't know enough and these kids are so young to have serious injuries. More details are needed.
I just don't understand why the turf has to be a priority right now. I've asked folks on the turf committee if it's critical to install turf this year and the answer was "No, it could wait".
I believe the anxiety among the supporters and elected officials is that the grant can be rescinded by Hartford,at any time. In fact, considering the financial mess Hartford is in, I wouldn't be surprised if Hartford takes back the grant money after November election.
June 17, 2010 10:19 PM
Tony, you hit the nail on the head by letting us all know that even the turf committee said the project could wait. That should be the "end of story" with this project. The grant is good for 10 years so let's put it on the back burner. If the state decides to recall the money, then "oh well."
Thanks for the bathroom update Tony. Throughout the 11 yrs my daughter has been in Cheshire schools, the bathrooms have always been 3rd rate/outdated/dirty, etc. The bathroom that a male fan would use when you go to a boys basketball, girls volleyball or school play is the pits. There is no mirror over the sink and no papertowel dispenser or hand dryer. What a nice welcome to visiting fans/parents/family members. Once they straighten them out, maybe you can see why they are always locked at the high school.
Tony:
"The turf committee believes there will be less injuries with artificial turf. But safety is just one of the items related to turf that the BOE will need to review."
I can show you just as many reports about the danger of turf fields as they can show about the safety.
Did the state ever complete their study?
The turf committee may say that it is safe, but who will be ultimately responsible in the long run?
All of us!!
I'll be damned if I have to pay for installation or replacement of a field that could be a liability for this town.
11:47...this turf committee will produce reports showing how safe the turf is. Similar to class studies, both sides will go and find reports that will bolster their position. Where does it end? Which report has the final say on whether a turf field is safe or not?
IMO, I think the PBC is capable of researching this particular topic IF the project is given to them. They can either support or refute the turf committee findings.
Frankly, I don't understand why the turf design can't be a joint effort between PBC and the BOE. Too many folks in this project are caught up with BOE vs. TC vs. PBC. It's really silly.
There's a BOE Finance/Business meeting on 6/28 at 7:30am at Humiston Board room. Engineering firm interviews start next week for the design phase.
Tony Perugini
Tony, No Haven held their graduation on the articial turf and it must have been 105 degrees!!!
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