Eleven Anne Arundel County high schools can expect to save thousands of dollars in annual maintenance costs ? once the school board determines when the turf fields will be installed.
Routine “costs [per school] would probably go [from $25,000] down to $10,000 and we could forgo larger cost expenditures,” said Alex Szachnowicz, chief facility official for the school system.
The school board is considering a schedule in which the turf fields will be installed first at North County, Arundel and Annapolis high schools beginning the summer of 2008.
Glen Burnie, Meade and Severna Park high schools would follow with installation starting in the winter of 2008 after football season, according to the proposal.
Those projects are expected to be completed by the summer of 2009.
The remaining schools would have installation completed by the winter of 2010-11.
The schedule was determined by the results of evaluations that ranked the schools based on the conditions of the fields, use of fields and the stadiums including seating. Those schools with the lowest rankings were scheduled first, according to school officials.
Because the schools will share the fields with the community, the board will consider this schedule:
» Schools will use the fields mostly on weekdays.
» The Department of Recreation and Parks has priority for most Saturdays, Sundays and a minimum of two weekday nights after 7 p.m. Exceptions for homecoming and playoff games and other scheduling issues are provided.
“We?re still negotiating with theboard, but it?s going to be good for them and good for us ? a win-win situation,” said Franklin Chaney, operation manager with the Department of Recreation and Parks.
Having turf fields will cut back on games being missed for inclement weather and field conditions, school system spokesman Bob Mosier said.
Maintaining turf fields requires specialized grooming equipment, including a brush, while grass fields require more costly improvements such as irrigating the field and replacing the grass, which could cost $65,000 annually in some cases, Szachnowicz said.
The total $8.8 million project will be covered through county bonds and state funds.
Broadneck High?s turf fields were completed last summer through funds raised by the school?s booster club.
IF YOU GO
» What: Anne Arundel County school board meeting
» When: 10 a.m. Wednesday
» Where: 2644 Riva Road, Annapolis
