There are clearly strong views on both sides of the Ritzer Field debate, and there is a tremendous amount of information that deserves to be reviewed carefully before making a final decision.

 

For me, this is not about choosing athletics over academics, or environmental concerns over student needs. It is about asking whether we can find a responsible solution that gives our students the facilities they need without committing more money than necessary at a time when our buildings require substantial investment.

 

South Orange has demonstrated that playable grass is possible, so we should understand what investment and management would be required to achieve that standard for Ritzer Field before deciding turf is the only answer. 

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We have significant and urgent needs inside our school buildings. The district's facilities plan identifies hundreds of millions of dollars in additional work, and we have to be thoughtful about how we prioritize limited capital dollars. 

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Because of this, I strongly oppose the Board’s intention, announced at its August 27 meeting, to proceed at its September meeting with consideration of a request to the Board of School Estimate to approve bonding for turfing all of Ritzer Field.

 

The discussion of such a request needs to be made in conjunction with consideration of all capital projects the Superintendent is going to propose, assurance that the proposal encompasses all urgent needs and knowledge of the total cost. A more modest Ritzer project could potentially allow us to direct more dollars from a future bond toward urgent safety, accessibility, and educational needs inside our schools.

 

I  am opposed to artificial turf on Ritzer Field but am willing to consider a reasonable compromise.

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