Facilities MP Gets Little Reaction
TJ HS asks for synthetic turf to align with "more affluent" schools
“FCPS must acquire land for new school sites, if it is not anticipated that land will be dedicated through the development review process…. In the future, where land is not anticipated to be dedicated for school sites (especially large secondary school sites), FCPS will need to acquire sites by purchasing land.” *
The FCPS Educational Facilities Master Plan is anticipating future construction and modernization needs over the next decade as student enrollment increases with overcrowding a factor in some communities so that the BOE faces future redistricting dilemmas. The Capital Improvement Plan, which provides a timeline for new school construction, school building additions and modernization projects makes recommendations but also documents facilities’ needs over a six-year period.
Yet public input at the BOE meeting on September 13th was limited. President Brad Young said he had received a few emails.
Karl Bostian, speaking as an individual says he is in favor of the plan but noted 2019 spending is lower than average. He did ask the BOE to advance the Rock Creek School site work currently scheduled for 2021 so that work on Waverley ES construction can begin. “Waverley is in dire need of an expanded or new facility,” Bostian said. He also questioned why Brunswick HS modernization scheduled for 2024 had been advanced over the needs of Middletown HS. BOE President Brad Young replied that the timing was influenced by new residential development in the Brunswick area. Bostian then commented that the CIP had no response to development on the east side of the county.
Hebba Hassanein, advocating for Oakdale MS described enrollment projected to rise 3% in the EFMP as “too little, too late.” Citing new housing development, Hassanein estimated Oakdale MS would need 300 new seats by 2023. In 2016, Oakdale MS was at 106% capacity rising to 117% in 2017. “These enrollment projections are too low,” she said. “I realize the solution for Oakdale MS is redrawing the boundaries. Both Crestwood and Oakdale need attention.” Hassanein also raised the issue of the mitigation fee favored by developers which has left less capital available for school facilities construction or modernization. While legislation is required by the County to better protect the interests of FCPS, Hassanein urged the BOE to address the issue by taking a legislative position.
Chris Holt, board member of the Thomas Johnson Athletic Boosters and Jackie Gambill, a member of the TJ Turf Campaign jointly made a request to the BOE to increase 2019 spending by $200,000 to bring the six-year campaign to replace grass with a synthetic turf playing field at the TJ stadium to an end.
The cost of the synthetic turf replacement is $700,000. This community project has raised $500,000 in cash and donations in kind, according to Gambill. Further, if the timeline for TJ track reconstruction was moved from 2022 to 2019 along with soccer field upgrades and bleacher replacement, all stadium work could begin in the summer of 2018.
Gambill notes that the more affluent communities already have synthetic turf playing fields: Urbana, Middletown, Linganore, and Oakdale. Frederick HS had a new synthetics turf field installed this summer. The remaining high schools have grass. Gambill urged the BOE to narrow the quality gap between high schools regarding their athletic facilities especially since TJ has shown a willingness to fundraise in a public/private partnership.
A draft of the EFMP was first presented at the August 23rd BOE meeting and is now posted here. The BOE will vote on the final plan at their meeting on September 27th.
*EFMP Draft August 2017, Chapter V, p. 43
Photo of TJ HS turf fundraising project by Gillian Grozier
