Memorial Field Vote Could Come at June Meeting, Councilmen Say

A decision on the future of could come at the next meeting of the Washington Township Council.

Members of the council said at their meeting Monday that they would vote on a proposal to replace Memorial Field with artificial turf if no bids come in to re-sod the field by the June 6 deadline. A previous call for bids yielded no results. Council Vice President Joseph D'Urso said he did not expect to get any this time.

"I don't believe patching it is going to cover it," D'Urso said.

Currently, netting from old sod sticks up through the surface of Memorial Field. Residents have also complained about excessive amounts of goose feces and problems with drainage at the site. Recreation Board member Scott Spezial said artificial turf would fix the issues.

"We're just looking for a solution to a problem," Spezial said.

D'Urso and Councilman Steve Cascio said they also wanted to consider adding another field overlapping the baseball field at Sherry Field and possibly also lights, to make it more useful.

"Sherry field is one of the biggest open spaces you have in town, but it's under-utilized," D'Urso said.

Mayor Janet Sobkowicz disagreed.

"It's a lot of money," Sobkowicz said. "We should focus on Memorial Field for now."

Council President Richard Hrbek said he believed some other projects in town, such as a new salt shed and DMF building, as well as possible renovations to the fire department, may need to come before a project like converting Memorial Field to artificial turf.

"We need to be aware of the things that need to be done, prioritize them and make sure they get done," Hrbek said.

Hrbek reiterated an analogy he had previously made to a homeowner choosing between a pool or a heater. Councilman Glenn Beckmeyer, who at the previous council meeting, said he did not believe that was a fair comparison.

"Putting sod in is putting duct tape every year on that heater, waiting for it to explode and ruin my basement," Beckmeyer said. "What I want to do is take some extra money, buy a brand new, high-efficiency heater with a 15-year warranty."

Council members previously said this year would be a good year for the project — if they choose to do it — because the township's debt load is decreasing. Recreation Board member Eamonn Twomey said the switch to artificial turf could solve the maintaince problems at Memorial Field for at least 15 years.

"We're not asking for the world here," Twomey said. "We're asking for a plan for the next 15 years."

The next council meeting is scheduled for June 11.

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