Turf Laid Down at Montville High School
Field project has been 'moving along great,' district business administrator says.
Read: Turf Field Construction to Kick Off at High School
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Saturday, May 4, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Turf to Come in Montville But Not for Neighboring Community
Parsippany voters reject turf referendum a week after Montville officials announce construction kickoff of turf field.
The road to installing artificial turf on the Montville Township High School field has been windy, and has not yet reached an end, although the project is now moving ahead with construction meetings to begin within the next several weeks. The same cannot be said, however, for neighboring community Parsippany, whose voters rejected a referendum to turf two athletic fields and fund other athletic improvements in the township for $7.7 million on Wednesday. The referendum failed with 2,373 "no" votes to 1,745 "yes" votes, according to Parsippany Patch. A similar referendum, with a much lower cost at $990,000, was rejected by Montville voters last year. While in Parsippany, taxpayers would have foot the cost for the improvements, the Montville …
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Naming Rights to High School Field May Be Sold [POLL]
Board will discuss alternative option for funding field project.
At the Montville Township Public Schools Board of Education's next meeting Tuesday, the board will discuss selling naming rights to help fund the high school field restoration project. Board President Dr. Karen Cortellino read a statement of the board's consideration of the measure at the board's March 6 meeting. "There is a way that public bodies, including school districts, can acquire revenue for particular projects—including projects related to athletic facilities—from sources other than taxes, and that is to offer so-called 'naming rights' for a fee," she said. Despite a failed referendum that asked voters whether they would approve a $990,000 artificial turf field project funded through the district's surplus, Cortellino said the …
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jerry
5:57 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Didn't we VOTE on this issue? Case closed. If someone wants to give the town the money with no strings attached that fine, but I don't think monkeys will be flying out of me any time soon. more ›
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
District Mulls Options After Turf Defeat
The school board will discuss some of the possibilities at its next meeting.
It's time to formulate Plan B. Saying officials will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss the district's options after voters rejected a plan to install an artificial turf field with surplus funds, Superintendent Dr. Paul Fried on Tuesday suggested the Board of Education hold off discussing the issue until its next meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for 8 p.m. Oct. 18 in the municipal building. "We need time to rethink the possibilities," Fried said. He noted the Montville Township High School marching band's annual competition was moved indoors on Saturday due to the poor condition of the field. The Mustang Classic, in its seventh year, was slated to bring about a dozen bands to compete at the school.
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mark
7:01 pm on Wednesday, October 5, 2011
give it up already it was pouring out and days before it was raining did you know the super bowl is going to be played at Giants stadium in a few years in the COLD AND SNOW OOOO CAN WE BRING THE PLAYERS INDOORS more ›
Thursday, September 29, 2011
What Should Schools Do With $1.5M?
Voters said 'No' to artificial turf, but the money is still there.
Voters said "No" to installing a new artificial turf field at the high school with part of a $1.5 million surplus created by switching insurance carriers in July. But now that the referendum failed, the entire surplus is set to remain in the budget as part of an insurance line item until the district decides what to do with it. The proposed field installation was projected to cost about $990,000, potentially leaving some surplus for other projects. Superintendent Dr. Paul Fried has said using some of the funds to purchase world language software for the elementary schools and computers to run it was one option he saw as worth exploring. Fried said Tuesday that school administrators and the Board of Education would be discussing what to do …
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jf
6:38 pm on Sunday, October 2, 2011
I question that fiscal comparison as well but then I'm not expert on "fields". I would have felt better if the numbers were based on bids from potential astro turf companies, but as it was explained to me that they were not since bids would only be solicited if the referendum passed. Also, I had to question the value of the per hour analysis since it was based on field use of 68 hours per week … more ›
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Results: Voters Reject Artificial Turf Plan
Residents reject Board of Education's plan to use $990K in surplus funds to install a new field.
A new artificial turf surface and drainage system won't be installed at the Montville Township High School football field after voters rejected the plan by a 186-vote margin on Tuesday. The Board of Education asked voters for permission to install the field with up to $990,000 from a surplus gained by switching insurance carriers in July. Poll results showed 1,357 voters were against the turf field while 1,171 voters were in favor. The Board of Education unanimously supported the plan, saying the district eventually needed to improve the field regardless of the outcome of the vote and that installing artificial turf was the best choice. People on both sides felt strongly about the issue, with supporters saying artificial turf would be …
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George Drexl
6:25 pm on Sunday, October 2, 2011
Steven L., Still not confident enough to reveal your name huh??....not surprised. Don't be surprised that your twisted outlook of what is important across the board never comes to pass. Although the turf was voted down I seriously doubt that the majority of the public feels as you do regarding everything except "classroom" activities and programs...there are too many of us that have children … more ›
PHOTOS: Going to the Polls
Voters have until 9 p.m. Tuesday to decide whether the school board may spend a surplus on an artificial turf field.
Residents started voting at 2 p.m. Tuesday to decide whether the Board of Education may spend up to $990,000 in surplus funds to install an artificial turf field at Montville Township High School. (See a list of polling locations and links to previous coverage.) In the Pio Costa Auditorium at the Montville Township Public Library, voters started signing up promptly at 2 p.m. and there was a steady flow of voters coming in. "We just started and it's busy," poll worker Sally Regan said. "I think people are interested." Residents had differing opinions. Sal DeVito, who lives next to football field, said he voted "No" because he is afraid a new drainage system would cause more water to affect his property and that the new field would lead to …
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Bob
2:42 pm on Friday, September 30, 2011
OK, if you 2 people had actually read the information passed out and maybe even attended one of the information meetings held all over town prior to the vote, maybe just maybe your opinions would mean something. Unfortunately it is quite clear you did not. This was a one time opportunity and it was money that could not be spent on hiring or hiring back people. Thems the rules folks. As for the … more ›
Monday, September 26, 2011
Just Calling to Remind You to Vote
Turf the Valley supporters on Monday reminded friends to vote on whether use surplus funds to install artificial turf at the high school.
If your kid ever played on a team with one of Denise Gauweiler's three children, there's a chance she called you on Monday evening reminding you to vote. Going through rosters from her kids' sports teams and her cell phone contacts, Gauweiler found friends and acquaintances to ring and remind to vote in Tuesday's special election to determine whether the Board of Education may spend up to $990,000 in surplus funds to install an artificial turf field at Montville Township High School. Gauweiler, who chairs the Turf the Valley Committee that raised about $100,000 to donate toward the project, made calls from the Changebridge Road office of SGW Integrated Marketing Communications, which provided space for volunteers to call. She said about 15…
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Josephine T.
12:00 am on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Vote NO. Be cautious when a frivolous project of this type is rushed with carefully edited information presented on websites, meetings, school computers and slick printed literature. Special interest groups and BOE have family on football and band, overlooking obligations for the best interests of the entire school district. This surplus needs to be allocated to the entire school system so that … more ›
Friday, September 23, 2011
Getting Out the Turf Vote [VIDEO]
Supporters of the special question are using phone banks, handouts and a video with students.
Residents who support having an artificial turf field installed at Montville Township High School set up informational tables at elementary school back-to-school nights this week, printed handouts and are planning to have about 30 volunteers make phone calls the day before the election reminding residents to vote. A video featuring Superintendent Paul Fried with two students discussing the project was posted this week on the district website. Fried has said the nonprofit Turf the Valley would be paying for all expenses associated with promoting and conducting the vote. Montville Mustangs Association recording secretary Cheryl Manfra said the association and Turf the Valley are supporting the proposal because fields are "the largest outdoor…
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Diane
8:36 pm on Monday, September 26, 2011
VOTE YES. I am an elementary parent and I support the installation of a turf field. I walk on the track around the existing field regularly, so I am familiar with the field's condition year round. The existing facility was never built properly, has been substandard for years, and is at the point where it is hazardous to the children, including all gym classes (1200 students) and special ed … more ›
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
VIDEO: District's Case for Artificial Turf
The superintendent on the surplus and why the district says an artificial turf field is a smart move.
Superintendent Dr. Paul Fried sat down with Montville Patch to discuss the special question before voters on Tuesday. Budget Background The Montville Township Board of Education is asking voters to approve shifting $990,000 in surplus funds from the operating side of the budget to the capital side of the budget in order to build an artificial turf athletic field with state-of-the-art drainage for Montville Township High School and the community at large. The surplus comes from the board’s decision to change health insurance carriers, resulting in savings of $1.5 million from the amount originally budgeted and approved by voters. Costs associated with conducting the special question are being paid for by the nonprofit organization Turf the …
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mark
9:27 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
I love the threats that we get from people in power in this town great way to show our children how business is done " well if you do not vote it in we will just go ahead and deem the field dangerous and then we will do it our way" what happen to the fact that this was suppose to be a private fund raising project why not let the partents of the children who wil use the field pay a fee I want my … more ›
Mary Ann Martello
11:27 am on Thursday, May 2, 2013
Wendy, I couldn't have said it better myself. So many people have put so much time and effort into this, it's great to see it finally happening. This will be a good thing for Montville. Thanks to everyone involved. Mary Ann Martello more ›