By Elise Fisch
The Florida Union Free School District Board of Education met for a work session followed by a special meeting on Thu., Feb. 4 in the S.S. Seward Institute cafeteria to hear updates on the capital project and make a decision regarding the grass on the new athletic fields.
Representatives from BBS Architects and Triton Construction, with information provided by Turco, the turf company, compiled and presented before the Board the pros and cons of both sod and seed in consideration for the Golden Hill Elementary athletic fields. The debate between choosing sod or seed has been ongoing in the Board of Education meetings over the past few months as the fields became ready for the grassing stage at the beginning of winter, when frosts and snowstorms threaten the safety of the grass growth.
“It is our belief that it’s in the district’s best financial interest to go with the sod,” said Ken Schupner, representative from BBS Architects. The cost of the sod lands in the ballpark of $30,000 less than the seed would cost and faces fewer variables when it comes to installation and maintenance.
The usage of seed would produce an outcome more preferable to the members of the Board for reasons of durability and longevity of use, but the complications involved are too many and too risky to feel like a lucrative decision. The type of seed mix utilized for this region, mostly composed of rye and bluegrass, is less inclined to germination in the cold seasons. This would push seeding back to April (or possibly May), and would require several overseeds to ensure sufficient germination, all while fighting weeds, pests, and erosion caused by spring showers. Under these circumstances, the fields wouldn’t be ready for use until spring of 2022.
“The emotional decision of the Board is to choose seed,” began John Redman, President of the Board. “But, sod is the best choice for the district and for the community.”
Schupner sympathized but reaffirmed his earlier statements by reiterating that the struggles involved with seeding would, he feared, lead the Board members to feel “unhappy” with the choice, and concluded by maintaining his agreement with their decision to use sod.
The district will spend $27,000 for equipment to maintain the new fields, an acquisition planned regardless of whether the grass came from seed or from sod. “The fields at Golden Hill have been ignored from the 1980s until about now,” said Howard Cohen, the district’s accountant, as he discussed the costs of the update. The equipment will be paid for by the capital project fund.
BBS and Triton are scheduled to install the sod in the early spring of this year, along with Turco, the turf company, who is involved with the acquisition, installation, and initial maintenance of the fields. They are confident the fields will be ready for use by fall of 2021, for the beginning of the next school year.
Next Meeting
The FUFSD will hold its next regular meeting on Thurs., Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. in the SS Seward cafeteria located at 51 N. Main St., Florida.
The Florida Union Free School District, socially distanced in the S. S. Seward Institute cafeteria, held its regular board meeting to discuss the installation of sod for the athletic fields at Golden Hill Elementary School.
