Board moves closer to turf fields
In the wake of a spirited discussion — both from the public and among the Boyertown Area School Board members — a 6-3 vote moved the district one step closer toward installing at least one turf field at an estimated cost of nearly $7 million.
Voting against a motion to authorize the district’s legal firm to begin soliciting requests for proposals from architecture firms were Ruth Dierolf, Christine Neiman and James Brophy. Voting in favor were School Board President Anthony Panarello, Vice President Jeffrey Zawada and board members Marianne Scott, Roger Updegrove, Brad Updegrove and Wendy Kratz.
The large audience — large enough to encourage the meeting
to be moved from the administration building to Colebrookdale Elementary School — erupted in applause after the vote.
Twenty-four of the 25 members of the public who addressed the board before the vote all spoke on the issue of installing turf fields. Of those, only four opposed an immediate vote on the matter or raised questions about whether the district or its taxpayers, could afford it.
The main argument in favor of turf, made Tuesday mostly by those associated with the field hockey team and the marching band, boils down to equity with what other school districts have, and the ability to use the fields much more intensely and in bad weather, thus allowing for more practice time.
One realtor also argued that investing in district facilities would
ultimately raise property values.
Field hockey coach Alicia Terizzi told the board “what we’re asking for is not totally over the top or outrageous.”
Boys soccer coach Matthew Danner told the board installing turf is the equivalent of the construction of the baseball and football stadiums in the 1980s. That investment “has a social and emotional benefit to the hearts of the Boyertown community,” he said.
Lacrosse coach Pam Wernersbach choosing against installing turf fields would “create a barrier to student success.”
Two speakers, Jon Emeigh and Nicole Zelcs, said they do not oppose turf fields, but believe the board is moving ahead too quickly, in a haphazard way that could prose financial problems later.
“If you’re going to vote for turf,
you should show how you’re going to pay for it and improve other programs too,” said Emeigh. “Otherwise, what you’re doing here is just political theater.”
Resident Paula Brophy said she cannot afford the taxes as they are now, and this project benefits 214 children in a district of 6,600. “That works out to $25,000 to $30,000 per kid, all of whom will not be here in a couple of years.”
According to information provided to the board by Chief Financial Officer Patricia Denicola, the district capital reserve fund stands at $23 million and during the Feb. 20 meeting, she identified several capital projects whose cost adds up to about $10 million. That figure does not include the two turf fields, the estimate for which currently stands at $6.7 million.