Altholton, Hammond High Schools to Get Turf Fields

The Board of Education voted Tuesday to use part of a $4 million alcohol tax windfall from the state to fund two high school artificial turf fields.

The board approved the expenditure by a vote of 4 to 3, with Chairwoman Sandra French, Vice Chairman Frank Aquino and members Janet Siddiqui and Ellen Giles voting for the measure. Members Brian Meshkin, Allen Dyer and Cindy Vaillancourt voted against it, according toExplore Howard.

Pending final approval from the state's Board of Public Works, the school board gave the go-ahead to synthetic turf fields at Altholton and Hammond High schools, according to school board website documents.

The cost of each project is $1 million, which includes $35,000 for maintenance equipment costs.

With a 4-3 vote, opinions varied greatly among school board members.

French initially had "her back up" about the proposal but eventually came to think it is a "wise decision," according to Explore Howard.

When built, the fields will be shared between school teams and community recreation teams, but Dyer said he is concerned about the lack of a joint-use agreement that would formalize shared use policies, the Explore Howard article stated.

Turf proponents believe there are many advantages to the artificial surfaces.

Because weather damage and damage from normal use is nearly non-existent, school and community groups benefit from increased playing time.

An artificial playing field can be used 3,000 hours per year without the need for "rest," according to the Synthetic Turf Council.

The carpets conserve billions of gallons of water and eliminate the need for fertilizers and other chemical applications, according to the council.

When considering the costs of watering, mowing and other maintenance needs of a grass field, an artificial field "more than pays for itself during the lifetime of the surface," the council website states.

Opinions have been plentiful on the Howard Public Ed online group.

Clarksville resident Sue Medicus told Patch Wednesday that she "was just astounded when this passed — a lot of us were."

Choosing to place artificial turf fields at just two of the county's 12 high schools is unfair and creates disparity among them, she said.

Residents are also concerned that the fields will be used mainly by the schools' football teams, meaning few students will benefit.

Hanover resident Leslie Kornreich, who told Patch on Wednesday that she will file as a school board candidate after the first of the year, said she isn't against the fields.

"The turf fields were going to happen a year later anyway," she said. "This is not a choice between the two, it's a matter of having priorities in line."

Delaying roof repair just means higher costs down the cost, Kornreich said.

"To me, the issue is prioritizing the condition of your school buildings over beginning on athletic fields that are going to happen anyway," she said.

County Executive Ken Ulman has committed to building synthetic fields at all of the county's 12 high schools, at a rate of three per year, according to Explore Howard.

Medicus also believes the school system's many systemic needs should have higher priority.

"The superintendent (Sydney Cousin) said that there are so many leaking roofs, we just can't prioritize them," she said. "How ridiculous is that?"

Medicus, a certified public accountant with a master's degree in finance, also said the cost benefit of such an investment isn't there.

"It was my understanding this money was to be used for educational improvements to make our students better," she said. "This was more of a business proposal than an educational improvement proposal.

"This was a dereliction of duty."