Holmdel Schools Will Fund $1.5M Turf Field At Satz

HOLMDEL, NJ — Holmdel Township Public Schools will finance a new multi-purpose turf field at the William R Satz Middle School.

The project will be funded with $1,500,000 from the capital reserve. Plans for the project were approved by the Board of education during a meeting last week.

The topic of a new turf field for Holdmdel's youth is certainly not new. In August, the Township Committee came to a standstill with the approval of capital improvement bond ordinance because two council members wanted $1.5 million to be added for the construction of a turf field.

"This is an area we feel strongly that should receive immediate attention by the Holmdel Township Committee, but it was left unaddressed in last month's proposed bond ordinance," the two said in a statement.

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The conflict was eventually resolved in the next meeting with Mayor Buontempo stating that he would be open to in the future putting a project for a turf field in the agenda, as long as it was a more complete plan.

"I'm glad I did what I did, so I got everyone's attention to this," committee members Tom Critelli said then. "I appreciate the mayor saying that if the rec committee comes up with a specific plan, a specific location, he'll put it on the agenda and make it a public conversation."

This wasn't the first time a turf field caused tension in Holmdel. Back in 2016, the project for a turf field on Cross Farm Park sparked a heated debate in the community, even prompting a group of residents (calling themselves Preserve Holmdel) to sue the township.

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