Application to DEP for field improvements

At last Monday's Board of Ed meeting, the Board approved spending $11,500 for an engineer to complete an application to the DEP for improvements at the RHS stadium and Stevens Fields. What does this mean?

It does not mean we're proposing to do anything specific yet. The facilities committee has been exploring several options for making improvements to those fields, both for the high school's wellness programs and athletics and also to fulfill our responsibility to the village's master plan for recreation facilities. We don't yet know what we will propose to do. We need more info, namely:

1) We should find out once and for all exactly what type of improvements will be allowed by the DEP in those areas along the Hohokus Brook. Since the area is in some level of flood plain (flood way? flood fringe?), there will undoubtedly be restrictions. It makes sense to find out NOW what all those restrictions are, and then use that info to inform our decision-making. But didn't a group of citizens already pay to have an application for permit filed? Yes, they did. The Foundation for Ridgewood Athletics spent $30,000 for the original permits (at no expense to taxpayers). Unfortunately, after that application was filed, the DEP decided that the types of projects being explored should be categorized differently (I can't remember the exact terminology). And that re-categorization requires an entirely different application -- and an engineer to do the work. The new application will be for "everything:" artificial turf, new/improved bleachers, lights. Applying for everything will enable the DEP to define the parameters for what would be allowed.

2) We are still working on getting the most accurate estimates possible on costs for fields, bleacher upgrades, and the installation of a new track at BF.

3) We need to work with the Village to relocate the varsity baseball field, currently at BF, in order to accommodate the track at BF.

Once we get a ruling from the DEP, and get the true cost estimates, and work out the "domino" effect of field use with the Village, then we'll decide what projects, if any, to include in the Bond Referendum next year.

Hopefully this clears up what the vote last Monday was for. Any questions, let me know.