Sod farmers wanted a chance to bid on football fields too

On the left is a map of the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve.
On the right is a map of the County Council Districts.
The PINK district is District 2. District 2 encompasses the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve.

In April 2005, when speaking about the Montgomery County Agricultural Preserve former Councilmember Mike Knapp said:

Twenty five years ago, public officials recognized that the best way to preserve farmland and open space is to preserve the business of farming. As the population in our region continues to grow, this principle will become even more important in the future, and I intend to do all that I can to ensure this tradition is not only sustained, but flourishes.

Click here for the Maryland Turfgrass Association public comment to the Montgomery County Council on the no-bid MCPS contract to put artificial turf at MCPS high schools. Like the many vendors that sell artificial turf football fields, Maryland sod farmers are also not permitted to bid on high school football field projects.

Durso: "didn't think we had ample time to make a sound decision"

Gazette: Schools curriculum deal leaves some bitter

A county parent is asking the state school board to stop, at least temporarily, a business deal between the county school system and an educational publishing company as two school board members continue to question the agreement...

...Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg, a member of the County Council's Education Committee, said he is still reviewing the contract and had no comment.

Council members Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown and Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring — the other members of the education committee — did not return calls by press time.

On Monday, Berthiaume questioned whether the school system's deal blurs the line between public education and business.

"I've never seen an instance of a government entity on any level basically agreeing to become a contractor to a private company," she said.

Berthiaume said she received a paper copy of the contract on June 7, but couldn't review it until the afternoon because of a busy day at work. Board members agreed to put the contract on the agenda for the following day.

"The board never took a vote to negotiate the contract with Pearson," Berthiaume said. "It was ‘Hey, we got this awesome deal, and we're going to do this.'"

Board member Durso, a former principal at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, also questioned why the contract had to be approved so quickly.

"I still don't see what the urgency was," Durso said. "I didn't think we had ample time to make a sound decision. We'll have to see if it's the success that some people think that it's going to be."

Here is the March 11, 2010 video where Superintendent Jerry Weast told the County Council's Education Committee (Ervin, Knapp and Andrews) that he was looking for a publisher for a curriculum deal. 


Below is the Request for Stay to the State Board of Education and State Superintendent that is referenced in the above Gazette article. Thank you to all of the people who contributed to this document. It is the compilation of many concerns regarding the surprise MCPS deal with Pearson Education, Inc. Silent, as of this date, is the voice of classroom teachers who will have to implement this new initiative, the Pearson curriculum, in grades 1-5.
Request for Stay

Artificial Turf - Looks Can be Deceiving

Here is an interesting clip from CBS News in California concerning an investigation into the safety of artificial turf athletic fields in California.



The story highlights three main concerns: carcinogens, heat, and bacteria.

The good news for California is that the health risks are under investigation.

Can we say the same for Montgomery County?

Knapp: MCPS "has locked us into expenditures we couldn't afford"

The Gazette is reporting that Montgomery County Councilmember Mike Knapp has said that Montgomery County can't afford the 4 year lease on Promethean Boards that was entered into by MCPS COO Larry Bowers without Board of Education or County Council approval.

Open question to Councilmember Knapp: Why doesn't the Council void the lease, instead of cutting essential county services to pay for a Larry Bowers MCPS procurement that wasn't approved? The lease specifically required Board of Education approval and that wasn't obtained.

Gazette: Officials want more authority over police spending

... Councilman Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown said he supports the review and that the council would not feel the need to have more control over the funds if they were being spent appropriately.

The council has faced a similar issue previously, Knapp said. He cited a situation last year in which the council learned Montgomery County Public Schools was spending money it received through technology rebates on classroom technology that required three-year contracts, which the council would be asked to subsidize subsequently.

A school system official did not respond to a request for comment.

"It's for any department or agency that gets resources as a result of their ongoing activities," Knapp said, referring to a possible policy change or clarification. "How do those dollars get spent? How are they reported?

"At a time when we have limited resources, the school system had locked us into certain expenditures we couldn't afford," he said. "That's the reason it's a policy issue. The executive is doing the same thing in this case (with the helicopters)."

__________

Clarification to Gazette article:

It appears that Councilmember Knapp is referring to one of the Promethean Board leases that has been made public. If so, what MCPS "locked" the county into was a 4 year lease for Promethean Boards, not a 3 year contract as stated in article.

However, this lease does not cover the entire Promethean Board procurement.

How the additional 700 Promethean Boards were purchased or paid for remains a mystery to this day.

Congratulations to Eastern MS . . .

The Eastern Middle School community in Silver Spring is ecstatic that they will receive a new $15,000 athletic field makeover from Kellogg - the folks that bring Frosted Flakes and other breakfast foods to families across the country.

Here is the text that went out to one of the lists I am on. Note that the writer asks that everyone pass along Eastern's great news.

Hello Eastern Middle School community and friends,

Late yesterday, I received an email from Kellogg's saying that Eastern Middle School -- got that drum roll going? -- has been selected as one of 30 fields in the country to receive field improvements/renovations! Yep, we did it! We went from a late night (and practically forgotten) nomination whim, to a semifinalist in practically last place out of 100 fields with only 24 votes in early May, to ninth place and 23,554 votes only three weeks later! Who would have guessed? Well, Ben Yeatts-Lonske certainly did, with his incredible and inspirational vote-by-vote tracking of the situation, and Aileen Hilliard and Judith Arbacher and Beth Sperber Ritchie and Susan Thomas and many many others who Ben cited in his June 2 wrap-up email as having sent out reminders, emails to other lists, etc. Congratulations everyone, and get ready to enjoy a brand new field! Kellogg's will probably organize a celebration once the renovation is done (and if they don't we will). But, let's organize something sooner at the field in the next week or so to celebrate this win. Any suggestions?

If you did contact any listservs and community or personal contacts, please spread the news that Eastern is among the winners! Also, because school is out for the summer, please share the news with any EMS families you are able to contact who might not be on this listserv or might not have a computer.

Let's keep this momentum going for making Eastern a stellar example of all things cooperative and scholastic, with parents, teachers, and students working together for the single purpose of providing the best education possible for our kids who, after all, is what this is all about.

Jim Laurenson

Numerous listserves across the county carried Eastern's plea for assistance - and yes, as stated by Mr. Laurenson, this is a stellar example of all things creative.

Meanwhile, over in Bethesda, Walter Johnson High School is in the process of installing a new turf field (estimated cost $400,000 +) that will be ripped out in November after one football season (and two months into the school year) and replaced by an artificial turf field at a cost of $1.2 million.

Great job, Walter Johnson, in advocating for your own community while middle schools in Montgomery County have to be creative and identify their own financing. Now, what is your community going to do to thank the other school communities across Montgomery County who are still waiting for their field of dreams?

I never realized that when Dr. Weast talks about the green and the red zone, he is also referring to the status of the athletic fields in the county.

WJ High to get TWO football fields!

Good news Montgomery County! No budget crisis here! We have enough money to install two football fields at one high school in the same fiscal year!

Did you happen to catch the WJLA Channel 7 news report by Greta Kreuz on the new artificial turf field for the newly modernized Walter Johnson High School? Did you happen to notice that Greta was standing in front of a brand new GRASS football field at Walter Johnson High School (WJHS) in her report?

What? WJHS just got a new grass football field and the County Council just funded a new ARTIFICIAL turf football field for WJHS too?

You bet! Montgomery County is flush with funding for football fields!

In order to be ready for the August 2009 football season the newly modernized Walter Johnson High School is getting a NEW GRASS field installed right now!

And then, as soon as football season is over, the BRAND NEW $432,500* GRASS field will be RIPPED UP and replaced with a $1,200,000 artificial turf field.

That's right, the cost of a brand new sod field PLUS the cost of installing a brand new artificial turf field, and both projects in the same fiscal year! The Walter Johnson High School football field will have cost $1,632,500 in one year! And don't forget to add in the one year cost to water the grass field - $6,000!

*Source of cost data: February 15, 2008 County Council Education Committee packet, page 12 of PDF or page circle 9.

Video: County Council Approves Artificial Turf

Video (in two parts) of the discussion by the Montgomery County Council of the proposal to install artificial turf at a MCPS high school.
Part 1:


Part 2:


The video of the Council's Education Committee meeting right before this vote of the full Council is here.

Council approves "no bid" artificial turf project

On Tuesday, June 16, 2009, the Montgomery County Council approved an appropriation to partially fund the installation of a $1.2 million artificial turf football field at Walter Johnson High School.

The appropriation was discussed and approved by the Council's Education Committee at 10:15 AM. At the meeting Chair Valerie Ervin called a representative from MCPS and a representative from FieldTurf to the table for an additional opportunity to comment on the proposal. No additional opportunity to speak was afforded the Montgomery County sod farmers or members of the community.

Councilmember Ervin stated that this matter had been "thoroughly vetted". However, the Committee never discussed the cost of this procurement in relation to other FieldTurf artificial turf high school fields as seen here ($770,000) and here ($795,000), nor did they discuss why this project was not put out for competitive bids as per state law on procurements over $25,000.

UPDATE: PLAN TO INSTALL AND THEN RIP UP $423,000 NATURAL GRASS FOOTBALL FIELD AT WALTER JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL.

Exclusive video (in two parts) of the Education Committee's meeting:




The vote of the full Council on this appropriation came within 40 minutes of the conclusion of the Education Committee's meeting. Video of the vote of the full Council action on this appropriation is posted here.

Breaking news: Ed Committee calls Tues mtg on artificial turf

The Montgomery County Council was set to vote on June 16, 2009, on an appropriation for funding of an artificial turf field at a MCPS high school based on a behind closed doors recommendation of the Council's Education Committee.

However, the Parents' Coalition has now learned that the County Council's Education Committee has called a meeting for Tuesday, June 16th at 10:00 AM to discuss the appropriation of $335,000 to partially fund the installation of artificial turf at a MCPS high school. This public committee meeting will take place immediately before the full Council goes into session at 10:30 AM. At that time, the full Council will be voting on the artificial turf appropriation.

The June 12, 2009, packet on this action had previously stated that the Education Committee had made a recommendation on this proposal after being "polled" by Council staff. As reported on this blog, it appeared that this "polling" would have constituted councilmembers taking action outside the viewing of the public and in a possible violation of the Maryland Open Meetings Act.

The newly scheduled Education Committee meeting set for June 16th at 10 AM will put the recommendation and vote of Councilmembers Valerie Ervin (Chair), Mike Knapp and President Phil Andrews in a public forum where their deliberations and actions can be observed by the public. From the Act:

It is essential to the maintenance of a democratic
society that, except in special and appropriate
circumstances:

(1) public business be performed in an open and
public manner; and

(2) citizens be allowed to observe:
(i) the performance of public officials; and
(ii) the deliberations and decisions that the
making of public policy involves.

§10-501(a) of the State Government Article

Health Effects of Artificial Turf - now Gone with the Wind. . .

Remember the last line from the movie classic, Gone with the Wind?

After all... tomorrow is another day.

Now think about the Montgomery County Council. This week, on June 9, 2009, at public hearings on the Walter Johnson Artificial Turf project, the Council appeared to have absolutely no prior knowledge about the potential adverse health effects of artificial turf, currently at Richard Montgomery High School, currently in the process of installation at Montgomery Blair High School, and subject to a financing measure on the Council's consent agenda on June 16, 2009.

All of this, despite assertions from Montgomery County Superintendent Dr. Weast, that Council President and Education Committee member Phil Andrews and the Montgomery County Council reviewed all the health and safety data in connection with the Richard Montgomery turf project and found the product to be safe. Forget all the scientific studies - they don't apply because we will have a newer and more safe product. And the new data? Doesn't apply to what we are getting in Montgomery County, because the contractor, Field Turf Tarkett, told us so. Here in MoCo, where we don't believe in competitive bidding, we have absolute faith that statements made by our business partners are true.

Do we really know that?

Those who testified at the Council hearing requested ongoing and periodic testing. The Council, in its infinite wisdom, and despite promises to those in attendance at the County Council meeting that the matter would go back to the Ed Committee prior to bringing forward this matter for approval, has instead decided this review isn't needed

Can we rely on the Council to review the options for testing at a later time as promised in the approval packet under consideration?

No. Don't be fooled. Why can't we trust our elected officials?

Did the Ed Committee ever schedule a meeting to vote on this recommendation/modification as listed on their Calendar between June 9 and June 16? Please post in the comment if you can find one, I can't find anything that complies with the state's Open Meeting Law requirements.

Nor did the Council deliver on its promise to engage in a six month follow-up review of the Richard Montgomery project.

Its time for all parents and residents of the County to demand that the County Council address the safety of artificial turf now, before another field becomes part of the landscape.

We've heard promises before. We want the Council to protect our children and our citizens now. Unless of course, we want leaders who act like Scarlet O'Hara.

Fiddle-dee dee.

Ervin, Knapp, Andrews: YES to terrazzo!

On April 22, 2009, the Montgomery County Council's Education Committee (Councilmembers Ervin & Knapp and Council President Andrews) approved community funded improvements to one elementary school in the amount of $154,640. The list of enhancements is here.

In attendance at the Council's Education Committee meeting was Superintendent Weast. In response to the discussion of these enhancements, Superintendent Weast stated:

"You have to remember this board is deeply committed to the policy of differentiation. And we spend $60 some million dollars in the areas where the poverty is most prevalent in the community. So the board's thumb, if it's on the scale, is the other way. These are just minor architectural modifications, not to the educational core, but to the exterior."

Superintendent Weast categorized these enhancements as "to the exterior", but the improvements to this school include:

• Terrazzo tile for the main entrance lobby
• Upgrade for sound and lighting systems on the stage
• Two glass backboards for basketball in the gym (This item was actually not approved by the Board of Education but went to the Council anyway.)

The following upgrades were not deemed to have needed Board of Education approval and are also interior enhancements. These enhancements were not presented to the Council's Education Committee:

• Two electronic message boards inside building $ 1,000
• Weather Bug Weather Station $6,500
• School graphics on the gymnasium wood floor $2,500

***
These improvements were approved by the Navarro led Board of Education in a 6-2 vote* last summer. The Gazette reported on this vote in their article "School policy divides haves, have-nots". The memo from Superintendent Weast to the Board of Education can be found here.

*The 6-2 vote of the Board of Education was:
Voting FOR the improvements to one school were: Mr. Abrams, Mr. Barclay, Ms.
Brandman, (Mr. Moskowitz-student), Mrs. Navarro, and Mrs. O’Neill

Voting AGAINST were Ms. Cox and Dr. Docca

How to spend $1 million in a blink of an eye

No, this has nothing to do with Malcolm Gladwell's book, Blink.

On Tuesday, March 10, the Board of Education is expected to vote on installation of artificial turf at Walter Johnson HS.

The item is on the consent agenda. If you blink - you will miss all the discussion on the topic of
1. Whether artificial turf is appropriate
2. Does MCPS have the money to spend on this project
3. Should we enter into a long term lease with an outside entity.

Don't worry, apparently the Board of Education feels so confident that this project is needed, its not necessary to have any discussion or other public views concerning safety, health, or financing. How do we know that? The BOE has scheduled ten other items at the same time. That's 27 seconds per project approved on the consent agenda.

But, have no fear, the County Council will come to the rescue. At its February 23 education committee hearing, the Ed Committee received an update of the newly installed turf project at Richard Montgomery(see packet page 18), and with the only caveat that the project will come back to the county council for appropriating the contribution from the Bethesda Soccer Club, the Walter Johnson preferred partner (see page 19).

The bottomless checkbook continues. Something is wrong in our county when those entrusted with the public purse spend so freely and without any oversight.

Andrews: "This is a serious mistake...the law is clear...crystal clear..."

The County Council Education Committee's February 23, 2009 meeting on Promethean Boards and E-Rate rebates was captured on video. The video is in two parts. See quotes from each video below and click on the videos to watch the meeting.
Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County uploaded a new video.
Hear Councilmember Ervin, "...The issue is that the Council has appropriation authority. Going forward we need a reporting mechanism by MCPS to capture these E-Rate dollars and rebate dollars for all funds. So we need to know what we are getting for our dollars. We need all the data that staff requested prior to budget disclosure. And in this case, there are many that believe that MCPS is taking on ongoing expenses that we are going to have to fund over the long term...."
Councilmember Andrews, "...it's about openness, accountability and authority...we weren't notified about the commitment to contract for this additional expenditure and so we didn't have any opportunity to approve it...This is a serious mistake in my view..."Councilmember Knapp, "When I look back...the magnitude of the purchase of this size never came up..."

Feb. 23, 2009 Part 1 - Promethean Board Discussion
*** *** *** *** *** ***Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County uploaded a new video.

Councilmember Andrews, "...I am concerned about the single commitment that was made to, for these funds of $13.3 million...through FY12, but Council has approved only $698,000 for this purpose...rebate funds aren't sufficient to pay for this...have to come back to public funds...that is tying the hands of both bodies...it's not the way to run things...the law is clear...crystal clear"Superintendent Weast, "...we want to be open and transparent and accountable...not any intent to deceive..."

Feb. 23, 2009 Part 2 - Promethean Boards Discussion