Field of savings sought for Montgomery

New playing field near high school seen as way to avoid expensive, time-consuming busing

By: Greg Forester
   MONTGOMERY — Busing high school athletes around town is costing the Montgomery school district $38,000 a year and all those dollars could be saved if fields near the school were used for practice.
   Having the practice field would allow student-athletes to simply walk across the street for athletic practice, instead of rushing to catch buses to practice fields at the Upper Middle School.
   "Having those fields would really help our program out immensely," said Athletic Director Tony Maselli. "It would be a lot better to have everything over here at the high school."
   The field under consideration, which would require preparation and seeding, is located near the Skillman post office, in the northwest quadrant of the intersection of Route 601 and Skillman Road.
   Currently students have to rush at the end of the school day, change in their locker rooms, and hustle to catch a bus to the athletic fields at the Upper Middle School, said Mr. Maselli.
   This process is costing the district time for practice, flexibility and money.
   "It limits their practice time and costs the district $38,000 a year," said Committeeman John Warms at a township meeting last week. "Even if they spent $8,000 on the field, the district would still save $30,000."
   The extra athletic traffic also makes a complicated busing system even more complicated.
   Currently the school district staggers the closing of each school to allow for efficient dispersal of the students, district officials said.
   In addition to the normal burden, this intricate system has to allow for athletes at the high school to catch buses to practice, because the high school closes earlier than the other schools.
   "We’re always having problems with kids catching buses," said Mr. Maselli.
   While the field is currently in no condition for practice, Montgomery Township Committeeman John Warms said it could be seeded in April and May.
   There could be suitable grass by August, Mr. Warms said.
   Although the field would be convenient for use by high school athletics, Committeewoman Louise Wilson said she did not want anything permanent on the property.
   "That field provides a beautiful view of the Sourlands," said Ms. Wilson. "I want nothing blocking the views."
   Ms. Wilson also said she did not support converting the entire meadow to playing fields.
   "I don’t want to cover the whole thing with playing fields," said Ms. Wilson. "We have tons of playing fields."
   Mr. Warms said the fields would only be used for practice fields for limited activity, which would limit damage to the property.
   "It’s only practice," said Mr. Warms. "That’s all they’re doing."
   Besides having practice at other fields located throughout the district, the high school’s artificial turf field sees an inordinate amount of activity, which could potentially reduce the turf’s life, according to district officials.
   In addition to the cost of resurfacing artificial turf, it can cost as much as $2.25 per square foot to tear up, not counting transportation and disposal costs.
   The continued busing costs come during a very controversial budget season, when the school district was forced to explore new revenue sources due to a state-imposed 4 percent cap on property taxes increases.
   The tax cap has New Jersey districts scrambling to find new ways to provide revenue.
   The new sources in the budget, to be voted upon on April 17, include a proposed $100 fee to offset activity costs, and corporate sponsorship of district athletic structures.