Starr funding Artificial Turf for Churchill High School (Yea for the MCPS Slush Fund!)

Here's the memo from Superintendent Joshua Starr for the installation of artificial turf at Churchill High School. You remember Churchill?  The school with the great natural grass field that didn't want artificial turf. Well, they are getting one anyway!  

Once again MCPS has money to burn and will fund the cost of this field above what can be obtained from a private entity.  Interesting that the private entities that want to use these fields can never afford to pay 100% of the cost!  That must be why they want to do these fields with MCPS! MCPS picks up the difference.  Thanks MCPS Operating Budget! 

Don't be fooled by the fake memo from Superintendent Starr that says any cost overruns will be paid for by user fees.  Any fees won't be collected until years down the road and we already know that these fields only bring in pennies in user fees!  

We already saw this at Wootton High School.  When the costs go over what the private entity will pay, the Board of Education simply coughs up the cash! 

$205,178 in cash was kicked in by the Board of Education for the Wootton High School plastic grass field when the FieldTurf (surprise) cost went over the MCPS estimate (another surprise). But, no worries! The Board of Education can always dip into the MCPS slush fund for plastic grass! (Mold in schools? No.)

(See page 31 of Board minutes for approval of cash for Wootton HS plastic grass.)

Apr 29, 2014 - Business Meeting Agenda

  

Consent Items - 1:30 p.m.

Artificial Turf Field Installation - Winston Churchill HS

During summer 2013, the Department of Facilities Management was contacted about the possibility of installing artificial turf on the stadium field at Winston Churchill High School. Staff in the Department of Facilities Management evaluated the feasibility of artificial turf installation at Winston Churchill High School and determined that the current grass stadium field may be replaced with artificial turf.

Subsequently, staff publicly advertised a Request for Proposals for private organizations that would be interested in participating in the private/public partnership to install the artificial turf on the Winston Churchill High School stadium field. Only two proposals were received—the Bethesda Lacrosse/Potomac Soccer Association and Montgomery Soccer, Inc.  The top-rated proposal from the Bethesda LaCrosse/Potomac Soccer Association includes a $1.1 million contribution toward the installation of artificial turf at Winston Churchill High School in return for approximately 1,000 hours of use per year for a 10-year period.

Further, the Winston Churchill High School Booster Club submitted a letter of commitment to raise and contribute $200,000 toward the installation of artificial turf.  These two offers total    $1.3 million in private contributions, which is the estimated cost to install artificial turf at Winston Churchill High School.  If the project cost exceeds the $1.3 million contribution amount, the shortfall may be paid through the funds collected for community use and the savings accumulated each year from not having to maintain the current grass field—such as grass cutting, fertilizing, over-seeding, and irrigating.  It is anticipated that approximately 150 hours or more, pending weather conditions, will be available for the community to use the artificial turf field after calculating hours used by the school and the Bethesda Lacrosse/Potomac Soccer Association.

The proposed project timeline to complete the work is by spring 2015, understanding the time it takes for design, permitting, construction bids, and award. In the event an award is made by the Board of Education, staff in the Department of Facilities Management will develop a detailed project schedule and determine the final completion date.

I recommend your approval of the artificial turf installation on the Winston Churchill High School stadium field. Given the shortage of playing fields available in the county and the constant demand for use of our school fields, the artificial turf on the stadium field is a positive solution that will provide safer playing conditions for Montgomery County Public Schools students while allowing many community hours for use.  Furthermore, the entire project will be funded privately without having an impact on our current budgets. The following resolution is recommended for your approval:

WHEREAS,  There  is  an  interest  to  install  artificial  turf  on  the  stadium  field   at Winston Churchill High School; and

WHEREAS, Artificial turf on the stadium field at Winston Churchill High School will provide safer playing conditions and allow significantly more hours of use than the current grass field; and

WHEREAS, Artificial turf would benefit the school and the community; and

WHEREAS, In January 2013, staff in the Department of Facilities Management publicly advertised for Request for Proposals from private organizations for partnering on the installation and shared use of an artificial turf field at the Winston Churchill High School stadium field; and

WHEREAS, Two responses to the Request for Proposals were submitted and the Bethesda Lacrosse/Potomac Soccer Association’s proposal was selected, which includes a contribution of $1.1 million toward the cost of engineering, permitting, and installation of an artificial turf stadium field in exchange for a preferred use schedule agreement for a period of 10 years; and

WHEREAS, The Winston Churchill High School Booster Club has requested permission to raise and contribute $200,000 for the shared cost of the artificial turf field; and

WHEREAS, The cost of the project is approximately $1.3 million; and

WHEREAS, Staff has reviewed this request for compliance with Board of Education Policy CNE, Facility Improvements That Are Not Funded with Montgomery County Revenues, and finds that it complies with the criteria for acceptable contributions established in the policy; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education approves the request of the Winston Churchill High School Booster Club to raise and contribute $200,000 for the artificial turf installation on the stadium field at Winston Churchill High School; and be it further

Resolved, That the contributions from the Bethesda Lacrosse/Potomac Soccer Association and the Winston Churchill High School Booster Club be accepted in accordance with Board of Education Policy CNE, Facility Improvements That Are Not Funded with Montgomery County Revenues; and be it further

Resolved, That a Stadium Field Agreement be executed between Montgomery County Public Schools and the Bethesda Lacrosse/Potomac Soccer Association for the sum of $1.1 million; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board of Education president and the superintendent of schools be authorized to execute the documents necessary for this transaction; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board of Education requests a Fiscal Year 2014 supplemental appropriation and amendment to the Fiscal Year 2013–2018 Capital Improvements Program in the amount of $1.3 million to fund the installation of artificial turf at Winston Churchill High School; and be it further

Resolved, That this resolution be forwarded to the county executive and the County Council for consideration and action.