Council to fund $7.8 Million in No-Bid Artificial Turf Projects

Below is the Montgomery County Council's Press Release from Monday, September 26, 2011.  Note that even the Council's Press Office thought the Artificial Turf meeting was going to televised! 
But as we know now, Council Vice President Roger Berliner pulled the plug on televising the meeting. (Phone lines to listen in were also jammed.)

The preview of the meeting shows that the Council would not be discussing cost issues, but announces that 7 more artificial turf fields are coming to MCPS and M-NCPPC. That's an expenditure of over $7.8 million on a procurement that has never been put out for competitive bids - no bids on the artificial turf and no bids for the associated site work. 

Remember that when MCPS buys artificial turf they take out a lease. Add on the interest and fees associated with a lease transaction for the MCPS purchases. 

Council News - Press Releases & Statements

Montgomery Council Committees to Address Artificial Turf for School Fields, Recycling. Also for Monday, Sept. 26: Wheaton Sector Plan, Briefing on Property Assessments, Montgomery College Recruitment

Release ID: 11-191
Release Date: 9/26/2011
Contact: Neil Greenberger 240-777-7939 or Delphine Harriston240-777-7931
From: Council Office

ROCKVILLE, Md., September 26, 2011—...The Montgomery County Council’s Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment (T and E) Committee and its Education Committee will meet jointly at 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, for a worksession to discuss a report from the County’s Artificial Turf Working Group. The group has been looking at the pros and cons of installing artificial turf fields to replace grass fields at County’s high schools and at County parks. The T and E Committee, which is chaired by Council Vice President Roger Berliner and includes Councilmembers Nancy Floreen and Hans Riemer, and the Education Committee, which is chaired by Council President Valerie Ervin and includes Councilmembers Phil Andrews and Craig Rice, will meet in the Third Floor Council Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and also will be available via streaming through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov. The working group studying artificial turf fields has issued a report called, “A Review of Benefits and Issues Associated with Natural Grass and Artificial Turf Rectangular Stadium Fields.” The Council has been discussing issues around installation of artificial turf fields for several years for high school stadium fields and for park fields. Advocates have pointed to the increased availability that the fields provide and more consistent playing conditions. Some opponents have raised concerns about the health and environmental impacts in comparison to natural grass. There are currently seven artificial turn playing fields in the County, including those at Blair, Richard Montgomery and Walter Johnson high schools. Seven additional fields are planned over the next six years....