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Friday, May 29, 2009

Grass Growers' Plea for Turf Transparency!

...I am here tonight to ask you to reconsider your actions to convert all Montgomery County high schools into artificial turf fields. I will concede that many of the fields are in poor shape.

There are a lot of factors that this can be attributed to, one of which is poor design. It was poor design to hold down cost... You are comparing the lowest end grass fields to the highest end fields in the country when you go to the artificial turf fields. I would like to ask you to study the possibility of a sand based field with drainage, as a comparison to the artificial turf fields that you are putting in...You will find it is still cheaper than the artificial fields that you are putting in...

I am also concerned about the process here. I have not seen any open bids for these fields that you are putting in. I would like to see an open playing field for that.
Excerpts of testimony of Doug Lechlider, President Maryland Turfgrass Association to Montgomery County Board of Education on May 26, 2009. You can view the complete statement of Mr. Lechlider in the video below.

1 comment:

  1. Wichita Board of Ed hopes to save $400,000 by re-opening bids for 5 artificial turf high school field. Why no bids in Montgomery County?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The Wichita Board of Education on Monday voted to overturn a contract for an out-of-state artificial turf installer, upholding an earlier committee recommendation.

    The action came following an appeal from Andover-based ATG Sports Industries Inc. about the district???s bid process.

    The school board on April 13 awarded Texas-based Hellas Construction Inc. a $3.7 million contract to install artificial turf at five of the district???s fields.

    http://www.entrepreneur.com/localnews/1819321.html

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