Bernardsville Council Favors Less Expensive Plan For Turf Field

A less expensive version of a proposed synthetic turf field for Bernardsville Borough's Upper Polo turf field gained the favor of borough council members on Monday night, although the proposal to put the question before voters again this November has yet to gain final approval.

The revised version of the turf field, which would be placed over an existing grass field at the borough-owned Upper Polo grounds off Seney Drive, would cost $1.02 million, an amount to be taken from funds built up in the borough's open space fund, borough officials said. 

As a result, the expense of installing the field would have no impact on the borough tax rate, said Borough Councilman Joe Rossi.

A previously discussed plan was to take $1.5 million that can be used to develop and maintain recreational facilities from an already existing open space fund with more than $5 million generated by the local open space tax.

Borough Administrator Ralph Maresca said reducing the length of the field would reduce the proposed cost.

The dimensions would be about 100,000 square feet, about 245 by 406 feet, said John Macdowall, borough public works director.

Rossi added on Tuesday that there are multiple ways that the cost can be brought down. However, he said that even after those cost reductions, the proposed turf field still would be regulation size for football and lacrosse.

Maresca said the issue could be discussed further at the council's next meeting, scheduled for July 8.

The Borough Council must decide by August whether the non-binding question would be placed on November's ballot. A but residents since have complained about other proposals made since to build other fields in the vicinity of school buildings in downtown Bernardsville. 

Council members said there has been no response from the Somerset Hills Board of Education regarding one plan to allow the school board to place turf on borough property behind the Bernardsville Middle School.

after the borough asked for support in lifting restrictions on the turf field behind Bernards High School to permit more usage on weekends and when students aren't using the field.

Rossi said he believes the Upper Polo field would provide more opportunities for borough-run athletic programs to have a place to play.