RMHS Turf and Building Security Headline Financial Debate

After Reading's successful April override vote, you shouldn't be surprised there was no doom or gloom in the RMHS library Wednesday night. But did you expect a turf war?

Last fall's Financial Forum was held in a packed room filled with residents concerned about Reading schools and the potential override. Wednesday's forum at the high school attracted a sparse crowd, mainly composed of those employed by the town, serving on a town board, or paid to write about all the above. Finance Committee chair Eric Burkhart wished that many were listening on RCTV. Were you?

Reading Accountant Sharon Angstrom began the forum with good news. She spoke of FY18 revenues $2.2 above projections and expenditures $1.88 million under budget. Charts filled with huge numbers, and projected over four years, all pointed to the town being in a better situation with better options than a year ago. It was your average, everyday financial discussion until Angstrom handed off to Town Manager Bob LeLacheur. That's when it got interesting.

LeLacheur addressed the town's five most pressing capital projects. It started with building security, and continued with an elementary school space/enrollment study, a new senior/community center, recreation/athletic repairs, and the public works garage.

Headlines in recent years have pushed building security, including at the town's eight schools, to the top of the to-do list. The cost is estimated at $4.5 million with $4 million coming from a state bond bill. The problem is that there's no way to know when/if the town would receive the money from the state. Because school security is a priority on Beacon Hill it could happen soon, but as LeLacheur pointed out it could also take 10 years. And this being Massachusetts politics, there's no guarantee Reading will ever get the money. Still, the building security project is in the FY20 budget.

What about that turf war?

RMHS's two artificial turf fields along with the entire Birch Meadow area field complex need help. At the top of the fun-and-games wish list is what's called Turf 2, the smaller field next to the stadium. The field is in horrible condition and because of water damage has had to be shut down twice this fall. As LeLacheur said, the Turf 2 field has become "an urgent issue in the past month." The concern for kid's safety who play on the field has officials concerned about injuries and even potential legal action against the town. It went so far that some discussed the possibility of asking to use Austin Prep's field and/or renting temporary lights for the Parker field as temporary solutions.

Replacing the Turf 2 field along with the lights would cost $2.5 million and as you read this it's in the FY21 budget. In an ideal financial world, the town deals with building security first, then the Turf 2 field. But the condition of the field has deteriorated so much officials don't want to wait.

There are options.

The first is simply flip-flopping the two projects. Doing that would give the town time to gauge how quickly the state money might arrive. But in 2018, does anyone want to go on record to delay a project to make the town's eight schools, and other buildings, safer?

The second is do them at the same time. It would require some financial juggling or as LeLacheur said "borrowing differently."

Because of the fear of injury the third option was to move quickly to replace Turf 2 next summer. But it's not that simple. For starters it would need Town Meeting approval and with Town Meeting next month the agenda/warrants have already been settled on. If the November Town Meeting is too early to get started, then the April Town Meeting is too late. One suggestion was to ask for $200,000 as seed money to begin the design process, with the Select Board potentially calling a special Town Meeting in January or February to approve the change to the entire project.

Select Board member Vanessa Alvarado suggested a fourth option, replace Turf 2 but don't do anything with the lights until a sub-committee of the Recreation Committee finishes its study of the Birch Meadow Field complex.

Turf 2 is only part of the athletic challenge. Even though it's in better condition, the RMHS Stadium field also needs to be replaced at a cost of $3 million. In addition, $1.5 million is needed for the Field House floor.

While the discussion focused on a playing field, others in the library asked why Killam's needs were again being ignored in favor of a field. The future of Killam, along with all five Reading elementary schools, is part of the study in the capital plan. As passionate as Killam supporters are, the town doesn't want to deal with one school at a time.

The Reading Senior Center is also on the capital wish list. "The current senior center is too small," said LeLacheur. If the town can't find a way to squeeze a bigger center into the current space, they'll have to look elsewhere and that won't be easy.

As for the DPW garage, the town has partnered with Wakefield to create a potential regional DPW garage. Recently Lynnfield has asked to join them with the garage located at a part of Camp Curtis Guild, a Massachusetts Army National Guard camp. The Army's interest in partnering with the three towns has ranged from an enthusiastic yes to a get-away-from-us no. If it happens it would be the first time it's been done in the country.

The next step in the town's financial planning is Dec. 4, 5, 11 and 12 before the Select Board before the School Committee has its turn starting Jan. 3.

Photo by Bob Holmes