How to pay for the upkeep of athletic fields in B'game is a very long-in-the-tooth discussion. Having a separate school district instead of the schools being a city department like they are where I grew up can make for an adversarial situation. The DJ is covering the City Council discussion and you should click through for the full details, but here are the highlights since no decision is imminent.
The Burlingame City Council expressed an interest in — but no commitment to — sharing the financial burden of resurfacing turf fields at local elementary schools frequently used for community enrichment programs. In lieu of offering Burlingame Elementary School District officials money for laying new synthetic surfaces at Burlingame Intermediate and Franklin Elementary school campuses, councilmembers unanimously agreed to study the issue further.
The discussion was brought by school district officials approaching their city colleagues for half of the more than $2 million expected to be needed for installation of new playing surfaces next year.
Since the school district owns the only turf fields in Burlingame, much of the use can be attributed to their almost constant availability when some of the city’s natural grass fields are subject to limitations during inclement weather. City officials though are planning to invest $1.75 million in laying artificial turf at Murray Field on the Bayshore, which some councilmembers said could result in less wear and tear on the campus surfaces.
At the end of an historically rainy season, this topic will float to the surface. Here is a photo of the Franklin field from a couple of years ago.
Couple of thoughts here: was the fake grass the schools' decision? If so, think they should pay for the majority of the costs. Real grass is always preferable to turf, with the exception of rained out fields. I have seen other nearby cities actually cover their natural fields.
Alternatively, rather than "studying the issue further" the city council should get into Art of the Deal mode mentality, fast: "Yeah we'll pay for all the artificial fields, if you allow the Burlingame community full access to all the school facilities for recreational activities so instead of building a $40 million dollar recreation center, we can build a $15 million one instead!"
Bam, just like that, Bruce Dickinson saved everyone $20-$25 million dollars!
They don't call yours truly *the cock of the walk* for nothing!
Posted by: Bruce Dickinson | April 24, 2017 at 06:41 PM
I think you may have it wrong Mr.Dick..
Your comments, and insights are "Top Notch."
Nevertheless, The Son of a Dick is a Son of a Dick.
Posted by: [email protected] | April 25, 2017 at 06:10 PM
Hello editor - your email bounces back so I figured this is the only place to post this. This needs to get out to the wider Burlingame audience.
Editor response: Doug, the email appears to be working just fine on this end as we have received a couple of messages very recently. We have moved your post to the "Hospital Redevelopment" category, so please feel free to add on there.
Posted by: Doug Radtke | April 26, 2017 at 01:56 PM
Bruce, the fake grass was the school's idea, paid for with a bond and put in without the Cities input. Once installed, they insisted that the City pay for it's upkeep and pay yearly towards it's future replacement. The City gives the school district $60,000 plus (low estimate) a year for future replacement and maintenance which amounts to over $400,000 in the past seven years. The school district has admitted that they have not saved that money to go towards the replacement and have spent it, who knows where. They have also admitted that they have not properly maintained the fields. If it was properly maintained, it should of lasted at least 10 years. So even though the City has paid over $400,000 for these fields, the school district is now demanding more because they have improperly maintained the fields and misused the funds. NOW, they are trying to make the City look like the bad guy when they are the ones that have misappropriated funds and not properly maintained the field.
Posted by: Laura | April 27, 2017 at 03:54 PM
Aha! Yes, Laura, this old man can easily sniff out when something seems amiss and what you describe perfectly fits the odd nature of this reimbursement request. Let's not forget the BSD has a poor track record of public resource "stewardship" as seen with the whole Hoover debacle which could have been far less costly had the proper environmental studies been done in the first place.
Given the situation as you describe it, all the more reason for the city council to play hard-ball with the district and negotiate a deal whereby indoor school facilities can be used by the community as recreational facilities, thereby saving $20 million dollars of the proposed $1,100 dollars per square foot recreation center, which is an absurd price for industrial grade construction. Make it somewhat larger and better quality than what is there, push recreational activities to the neighborhood schools and save a ton of money in the process!
Let's face it, folks, Bruce Dickinson didn't get to where he is without financial savvy, if ya know what I mean?
Posted by: Bruce Dickinson | April 27, 2017 at 05:03 PM
Looks like there is a tentative deal in the works:
In other business, councilmembers voted 4-1, with Councilwoman Ann Keighran dissenting, to help the Burlingame Elementary School District pay to replace artificial turf fields at Burlingame Intermediate and Franklin Elementary schools.
Officials agreed to pay $350,000 if the field turf replacement takes place in the coming fiscal year, or an additional $50,000 annually over the next couple years if the work is postponed. Councilmembers also agreed to pay half of the future resurfacing cost the next time fields are replaced, which should be in about 10 years, as well as additional operating and maintenance costs.
The city hosts a variety of after-school and summer enrichment activities on the fields when school is out, contributing to the wear on the artificial surfaces and compelling school officials to seek a financial contribution to their replacement.
Officials from the two agencies had discussed a cost-sharing agreement previously, but councilmembers were reticent to approve a deal. Under the most recent decision, the proposal will go to the Burlingame Elementary School District Board of Trustees for ratification.
Keighran said she agreed to most terms in the deal, but was not willing to pay for the coming replacement because the fields did not last the 10 years they were expected to after initial installation.
Ortiz acknowledged he did not consider the contract perfect, but found it acceptable to support.
“I’m pleased we are here,” he said. “It’s not ideal in my mind, but I think it’s a good compromise.”
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2017-06-21/burlingame-adopts-builder-fees-commercial-linkage-rates-designed-to-help-officials-combat-unaffordability/1776425182117.html
Posted by: Joe | June 21, 2017 at 10:18 PM
Sure hope the contract states that they need to properly maintain it so we can get the ten years or more use out of it. If not, the City should get a refund as the lack of maintenance is why it failed after 7 years. The "additional" $50k is on top of the $60k plus we already give them per year for maintenance and future replacement.
Posted by: Laura | June 22, 2017 at 05:50 PM