A Closer Look at Proposed Funding for Foxborough’s Turf Field Project

When voters review the proposed community turf field project at the Dec. 11 Special Town Meeting they will be deciding whether or not to appropriate $125,000 from the town’s Overlay Surplus account and use the remaining $1 million from the high school renovation project to help fund the $1,619,000 of the project.

"Basically, we are looking at $430,000 between donations, in-kind services and the NFL grant," said Foxborough Schools Business Manager Bill Yukna. "We are looking at $1 million that is the current balance of the high school renovation project, which the town has already funded and appropriated."

Furthermore, Foxborough's School Committee voted its Nov. 26 meeting to appropriate $75,000 from the school’s building revolving account to help fund the project, leaving $125,000 needed to reach the $1,619,000 required to fund Phase I of the project.

That's where the town's overlay surplus comes in.

"Every year we are required by state law to reserve a portion of taxation for two things: tax exemptions and we are required to obtain an amount to cover any abatements people apply for with regards to adjustments to their taxes," said Foxborough Chief Financial Officer Randy Scollins. "We are required annually to reduce how much we make available for budgets by this overlay amount. Typically for us it runs about $440,000 – half of that for exemptions and half of that for overlay.

"As time moves on we settle tax cases and the amounts that are left by the overlay can be released by the Board of Assessors and appropriated at Town Meeting.

"Typically we have scraped out overlay each year if we felt there was enough in there to still cover any risks that we had or tax cases. We’ve released it to cover capital items or the once-in-every-three-year cost of the tri-annual revaluation work, which is assessing work.

"It is a traditional funding source for either capital or operational sources."

If voters choose to appropriate $125,000 from the town's Overlay Surplus at the Dec. 11 Special Town Meeting, Scollins said the account would have approximately $150,000 remaining.

Phase I of the proposed project – Article 6 of December's Special Town Meeting Warrant – includes removal of baseball field, benches, backstop, etc. at current location of Foxborough High School; Installation of synthetic turf surface, football goal posts, sports lighting, electrical distribution, inner fence and scoreboard; Installation of baseball and softball fields behind Foxborough High School.

Phase II of the proposed turf field is part of the project’s master plan, which includes an outdoor track around the turf field, bleachers, press box, concession stand and bathrooms. The cost of Phase II would be $1,827,608. Voters will not be voting on Phase II of the project at the Dec. 11 Special Town Meeting as there is currently no funding options for the master plan portion of the project.

“[Phase II] is more of master planning at this point,” DeVellis said. “It hasn’t gone beyond concept.”

The proposed turf field complex – Phase I and II – would total 3,446,608. However, voters can approve Phase I of the project on Dec. 11 without committing to Phase II.

"Phase I is still a big benefit to the community," Yukna said. ... "Even if Phase II doesn’t happen, Phase I does provide ample amount of additional field time and gives our kids the opportunity to play on a turf field and practice on a turf field."

Yukna and Scollins reviewed three funding options for the proposed turf field project before settling on the one detailed below.

"We think this is a doable plan but as the School Committee said loudly [on Nov. 26 with a vote to appropriate $75,000 to the project]," Yukna said. "With this article going forward, we will be asking for $125,000 at Town Meeting for the overlay surplus."

Here’s a look at the proposed funding sources for Phase I of the turf field project and a breakdown in Phase I costs as provided by the Turf’s Up Committee.

Proposed Funding Sources for Phase I

• TurfsUp NFL Grant: $200,000
• TurfsUp Community Fundraising: $60,000
• Tree Tech Tree Removal Donation: $20,000
• TurfsUp Engineering Donation: $139,000
• High School Renovation Bond Proceed balance: $1,000,000
• School Department Building Use Revolver account: $75,000
• *Appropriation from Overlay Surplus account $125,000 (Appropriation of $125,000 requires vote of approval at Dec. 11 Special Town Meeting)

Phase I Costs

Synthetic Turf Field

• Remove baseball field, benches, backstop, etc.: $4,000
• Remove fence: $1,398
• Remove and stockpile topsoil: $6,500
• Erosion/sediment control: $6,500
• Earthwork and dispose: $67,600
• Synthetic turf surface: $498,750
• 18” gravel base: $59,052
• Inner fence (4’): $42,406
• Football goal posts: $10,000
• Drainage and stormwater management: $100,000
• Electrical distribution: $20,000
• Sports lighting: $140,000
• Scoreboard: (Community donation)
• Subtotal: $956,206

Baseball and Softball Fields (Located behind Foxborough High School)

• Clear and grub: $44,800
• Erosion Control: $5,000
• Strip topsoil: $16,714
• Earthwork cut and fill: $108,416
• Baseball backstop: $25,000
• Player bench: $2,400
• 6’ chain link dugout fence: $4,740
• Baseball infield mix: $30,000
• 4’ chain link fence: $7,800
• Softball backstop: $18,000
• Softball bench: $2,400
• Softball infield mix: $29,000
• Baseball bleachers on pad: $36,000
• Respread loam and augment: $54,204
• Seed mix: $45,980
• 12” base gravel parking area: $8,000
• Phase I Total Labor and Materials Projection: $1,394,660
• Civil Engineering & Permitting (10 percent): $139,000
• Contingency 6 percent: $85,340
• Phase I Total: $1,619,000

Here’s a look at projected costs for Phase II of the turf field project - track, bleachers and improvements:

PHASE II COSTS

• Tree removal: $2,000
• Remove and stockpile topsoil: $7,962
• Erosion/sediment control: $5,000
• Earthwork: $55,974
• Synthetic track surface: $472,000
• 12” gravel base: $66,808
• Concrete walk and plaza: $80,000
• Outer fence (6’): $78,280
• Aluminum bleachers: $412,500
• Drainage and stormwater management: $100,000
• Water utilities: $20,000
• Landscape and site furnishings: $50,000
• Press box: $75,000
• Concession stand: $75,000
• Bathrooms: $75,000
• Total labor and materials: $1,575,524
• Contingency (6 percent): $94,531
• Civil engineering & permitting (10 percent): $157,552
• Total Phase II Cost: $1,827,608
• Total combined cost Phase I and II: $3,446,608

The proposed project has received overwhelming support from the Foxborough School Committee, split support by the Board of Selectmen and little support from the Advisory Committee.

Will residents support the project? That answer is expected to come on Dec. 11.

"We are not the ones making the judgment here," Yukna said. "We are giving the community the offer."