Kinnelon Councilman: Committee Will Need Volunteers to Fundraise for Turf

Council President Dan O'Dougherty reported to the Kinnelon Recreation Commission Wednesday that things are moving along with the exploration of a project to install an artificial turf field at .

O'Dougherty said the council's coordinating committee, which consists of him and Councilmen Jim Freda and Gary Moleta, met with Superintendent Jim Opiekun, Kinnelon Board of Education President Margaret Zybrick and Vice President Keith Dama on Tuesday and that the entities have discussed forming a group of 40 volunteers that would each be tasked with fundraising $10,000.

O'Dougherty said a local builder has agreed to donate some money and completely install a turf field for $400,000, which would be entirely fundraised. Typically, O'Dougherty said a similar project would cost between $800,000 and $900,000.

"We're trying not to use any municipality money and we're trying to do it quickly," O'Dougherty said.

O'Dougherty said they are hoping to have the volunteer committee formed within the next two months, raise the money and potentially have shovels in the ground in June. He also told the Recreation Commission that the school district is at the same time to go around the turf field. The committee has discussed drawing two small diamonds on one of the ends of the field to allow for more sports to be played there.

The council began looking into the option of installing turf at the high school after who warned that the borough may have trouble receiving approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to install turf on the other borough fields, including the field behind the Kinnelon Municipal Building. The field most likely to be approved would be the , the representative said, although the borough would also then have to consider installing lights on that field to allow for night games. O'Dougherty said the approval process would also take the borough some time at KRP and that the mayor and council are hoping to have the project completed this year.

O'Dougherty said that the borough is still looking into acquiring an adjoining property to the KRP field and would consider installing turf there in addition to the project at the high school. He said it is too early to determine whether that project would also be paid for through fundraising.

Also at the KRP field, the borough would consider creating a community park complex, he said, something Recreation Commisioner Jeanne Armstrong inquired about Wednesday.

"For a town like ours, we really should have a town park," she said.

But O'Dougherty said it is important to consider the costs of such projects.

"You've got to realize, there's a lot of financial responsibility," he said.

O'Dougherty said the consideration of turf at the high school has only made it this far because the project has the full support of the current mayor and council. He referenced the borough and school district's failed attempt at installing a turf field in 2004, when he said about $275,000 of the cost was donated and taxpayers were asked if they wanted the project by referendum.

He assured the Recreation Commision that the project is moving forward now and that the committee is currently examining other municipalities' agreements with their school districts to share usage of turf fields.

Recreation Commission Vice Chairman Rick Millis said he was pleased that the project is moving along and that it is inspiring for other, similar projects in the borough.

"Any other project like that, moving forward, will be easier to get through," he said.