From the article:
The lack of ownership also raises concerns about the turf field located at Richard Montgomery High School that Real Maryland sponsored and help fund in 2009.The entire article can be found here.
As of press time, Dana Tofig, spokesman for the Montgomery County Public Schools said MCPS had not received any notice from Real Maryland and was unsure how the soccer team’s exodus would affect Richard Montgomery or if there was a remaining fiduciary responsibility.
Oops, don't tell Dr. Doran at Wootton HS because he is looking at the same deal for his field.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the $300,000 was supposed to be paid upfront? Do you have any proof this wasn't the case or is the headline above misleading (MCPS apparently left with debt)?
ReplyDeleteThe "partner" was responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the stadium. The "partner" was also going to be there to pay for the replacement field. These fields only last 4-5 years. The RM field is approaching the end of its useful life. What now? Who is going to pay for the replacement plastic grass?
DeleteWhat do you call it when the taxpayers have to replace the plastic grass that was to have been paid for by the private/public partner from the super cool Nancy Navarro/Jerry Weast scheme that has now failed?
Maybe Navarro Disaster would be a better title?
DeleteWhere does it say the partner is paying for the replacement field or current maintenance and upkeep?
ReplyDeleteRead the contract anonymous. And then go back and listen to all the promises made when this super deal was being slammed on the taxpayers. It was all about how fabulous this would be. Was that YOU singing the praises of this "deal"?
DeleteRockville would become a "destination" because of this soccer club!
The partner would run a sports management program at RM! Remember that? They would partner with the school for programs!
The "partner" would be there for the future to pay for replacement fields. It was a public/private partnership pilot that would be used on all of the other MCPS artificial turf football fields (except not Paint Branch HS or Gaithersburg HS). Once RM got the first artificial turf field then all of the other high schools were jealous. But, the public/private partnership plan disappeared and the taxpayers have had to pay full price for fields from the no bid/no contract vendor.
Don't forget the $9,000 annual maintenance bill that was REJECTED by the RM Booster Club and then MCPS/Joe Lavorgna said the Booster Club MUST pay.
Promises, promises...now we are all left with the bills. And, a very large piece of plastic grass nearing the end of its life. Don't forget, the product put down at RM has since been found to be defective.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpKAnp5Klzw
By the way, Board of Education members have known about this for weeks. Yet, they kept this quiet. No discussion at the happy place of the MCPS BOE table.
DeleteRead the "contract" posted on your site. No reference to a replacement field.
ReplyDeleteI think what is missing is that MCPS BOE members and the school system as a whole all too frequently refuse to admit their errors, and indeed maintain a harmful code of silence. One is taught early in life to learn from your mistakes but how can that occur if there is such denial and a style of "going after the messengers."
ReplyDeleteMr. Zepnick, agree. Also what is missing are voters who can see straight. Instead the county is full of voters who prefer to live in magic land where money just keeps appearing and council members keep voting for more fun 'stuff' for the BOE. A small note on reality: AT fields are composed of carcinogens, heavy metals, lead, and other material that requires disposal in a hazardous landfill. Who is going to pay for that? RM Boosters, better buy lots more wrapping paper to pay for your field. Because you can count the taxpayers out on this one. Pottery Barn rule applies here.
ReplyDeleteMy question is why is any of this the school's fault? It's clear that Real Maryland shut down independently of Richard Montgomery High School - so it seems odd that you seem to be putting the burden on the school. This really has nothing to do with the quality of the turf either; if any of you got off of the computer and played sports, you would understand that artificial turf is a better option compared to natural grass fields - in all aspects. Simply rejecting change because of turf residues and misguided information on its life-span seems incredibly close-minded to me.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous. New here, aren't you? The principal at RM at the time was one of the people who was negotiating the deal. The RM HS website was used to "sell" the plan to the public. RM HS was to "win" from this partnership. We just posted the power point from the RM website. This field was all about RM HS.
DeleteAnd as for burden, you must have missed the fight that MCPS had with the RM Booster Club over the $9,000 a year maintenance bill for the artificial turf.
Misguided information on life span? Having a little trouble with facts, aren't you. All you have to do is walk over to Towson University and see that the FieldTurf artificial turf had to be replaced after only 4 years.
Since you don't have a name, it's clear you don't stand behind your statements. We do. We have experience with artificial turf and we know the difference between plastic grass and real grass. We know the costs, and we know the life span.