We submitted an OPRA request for the email discussion on the Turf Field referenced in BOE Member Akiri’s updates to NJ21st. The District returned part of the documents, with more expected next week.

The exchange begins with an update from Recreation Commissioner Debra Varnerin:

“I hope you enjoyed your summer. I am writing to you today to give you an update on the Lower Columbia field project. After initial discovery, it is highly probable that the area where the turf field would be installed will be classified as wetlands by the NJ DEP. After reviewing all options available, the most cost effective solution is to replace the existing natural grass with natural grass sod with improved drainage, irrigation and lights. The Berkeley Heights Recreation Commission’s priority is to provide the Board of Education and residents of Berkeley Heights a safe, usable park and field in 2025 and not spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on NJ DEP permits and wait 5–8 years to install a synthetic turf field. I am hopeful that the Nokia developers will give the town enough land to install a synthetic turf multipurpose field that can be used by the Board of Education and all residents of Berkeley Heights. Once I have the new plans for the natural grass field I will share them with everyone.
If anyone has any questions feel free to reach out to me.”

BOE Member Natasha Joly sent a sharply worded reply, copied to the Mayor and Township Administrator, and asked that the matter be placed on the next BOE meeting agenda:

“I’ve added what I believe is your township email as this is rather official. I’ve also included the Mayor and Liza.

So if I understand correctly, after 4–5 years of pitching this project, after a non-binding resolution pushing for the lease for the purpose of a turf field, after manufacturing an insurance issue and locking out the GL tennis team, after the threatening emails from the township attorney and forcing a negotiation in public, after advertising the immediate need for a turf field and rallying up the community and PAL to write to the BOE about the turf field, and after passing the lease via resolution rather than ordinance (still waiting on a legal opinion as to what that means), you only now discovered that you likely can’t put turf on the property? Hmmm…

Jenn – please add this to the correspondence list for the next BOE meeting.”

BOE Member Bill Dillon suggested that Varnerin attend the upcoming BOE meeting to provide the update directly, and she agreed.

The partial email chain confirms Akiri’s update which stated the Turf Field for Columbia was no longer being pursued and that the announcement came from a private email account.  Based on the email, the possibility of a Turf Field will now depend on the Nokia Developers.  If the township is now looking to create and maintain two fields residents can ask where the funding for this is coming from.

The question of funding is especially pertinent not only because of the doubled responsibility but also because the justification for pushing the BOE into a quick decision on the matter involved allegedly time sensitive funding triggers we can assume have since passed.

During the referendum survey STEM and Special Education scored consistently higher on facility priorities than Athletics and while the Township may claim that schools will not be responsible for the fields – the plan for two fields involves school property and, potentially tax revenue, that could be put to use in areas that families feel are more important.

We will publish the remaining documents when we obtain them next week. 

Copy of the Partial Email Chain We Received

Editors Note: We originally indicated the Township produced the documents.  It was the District that provided them.

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