In January, residents went to the polls to vote on a pair of proposals, with voters overwhelmingly approving a flood mitigation plan, and narrowly – there was an 18 vote difference – rejecting the second, which would involve the installation of a synthetic resurfacing at Hayes Field.
Since the vote, there has been an active, vocal group of parents that have been eagerly encouraging the Board to reconsider a modified proposal for a second vote, accruing more than 200 signatures in a petition that has circulated the village.
The new proposal would involve nixing an originally planned parking lot at the field, lowering the cost of the $2.2 million project. More details of the new proposal are expected at the regularly scheduled school board meeting on Thursday, March 19.
“At our last Board of Education meeting, students, parents and residents called on the Board to resubmit the synthetic-turf proposal to voters,” members said in a joint statement. “The public participation portion of the meeting was largely devoted to the chronic need for additional field space.”
“The Board took no position, expressing its interest in analyzing the referendum results and listening to all of the comments from the public.”
If the board is to consider a new vote, a resolution must be passed and the district officials will have 45 days to disseminate various pieces of information to the public, including parking and landscaping in the area.
According to Board of Education President Denise Tormey – who has supported the idea of a second vote - board members are still in the process of evaluating the election results before moving forward. She cited “the need to identify which issues are still under consideration and to clarify what is included in the flood mitigation project and what still needs to be addressed.”
“We have asked our administrative team and professional consultants to reexamine the available data about usage and cost; adjust plans to accommodate the construction schedule for the flood-mitigation project and analyze the short and long term impact on Hayes Field.”
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