After voters narrowly approved the turf project in a vote last May, the biggest question for opponents of the project, supporters and the board has been what turf product the board will choose to use — a key point of controversy in the weeks leading up to the vote.

Now, the board will make that decision. SLCSD Superintendent Diane Fox says they have a good product that she believes will meet the environmental standards of the state and of the board.

The resolution names FieldTurf USA as the company. Fox said the turf carpet they’ve selected is “FTVTP-1,” which appears to be the company’s “Vertex Prime” product — billed as having “PFAS-free fibers.” Community concerns about the turf centered on many artificial turfs having carcinogenic PFAS “forever chemicals.” School board members have pledged environmental safety. The state has a ban on PFAS in artificial turf starting in 2026.

An analysis of artificial turfs by the town of Burrillville, Rhode Island found no detectable PFAS in the carpet.

Toward the end of their meeting, the board will go into executive session to discuss specific details of the contract, then return to public session to discuss and vote on the bid.

The artificial turf field proposition was controversial before the May vote but was narrowly approved with a 53.59% majority. With 1,478 total votes, 792 voted for the turf and 686 voted against it.

Some residents opposed the turf over concerns of increased injuries and leaching of PFAS. Meanwhile, others supported the turf, saying these concerns were not convincing, and that it will allow for longer seasons because of outdoor practices and games, field use by more teams and reduced maintenance.

SLCSD board Chair Mark Farmer said FieldTurf has been the company the board’s been interested in for a while now. He didn’t want to say much about the turf product until the whole board talks about it, but did say the board is working to keep the field environmentally safe.

“There were some concerns about the environment and our board has taken that to heart,” Farmer said.

There are two components to artificial turf — the carpet, which simulates grass, and the infill, which simulates dirt. They’ll have to make choices on what kind of infill they’ll use for the field, along with other possible enhancements.

Fox said they will consider another product which goes under the turf carpet to absorb carbon dioxide, as well as the potential of using “virgin rubber” for the infill, rather than repurposed rubber.

These enhancements would cost more, but would also make the field more environmentally safe than others in the state. These alternates will be discussion and potentially voted on by the board tomorrow.

“We’re trying to do this project as economical as possible, but correctly, and as environmentally responsible as we possibly can,” Farmer said.

The price of the turf and installation work has been left blank on the meeting agenda. Fox said this is because they’re still finalizing the price, but added that they’ll have the final price at tomorrow night’s meeting before they vote. She declined to share the potential price range for the product and work.

This is because in the district’s bid from FieldTurf, it has a subcontractor to do the base work before laying the turf carpeting, and the district was still asking questions about the proposal on Tuesday.

The turf, lights and scoreboard project will not increase local taxes. This project will use $2.8 million of the district’s $3.8 million Capital Reserve Fund — a construction fund for borrowing money — along with $397,563 in additional capital funds.

On Monday, Fox said the project is coming in fully within budget.

The field is anticipated to be complete by the fall of 2025, in time to host school sports, but this is dependent on the weather providing a long-enough construction season.

To get state aid on the work done to the field, Fox said they need to do work inside the high school building. Tomorrow night’s agenda also has a resolution for an award of $40,500 to Murnane Building Contractors for doors, and an award of $329,500 to Next Era Contracting for electrical work bringing electric from the main building to the new lights and bleachers at the field.

The Murnane contract has an additional allowance of $8,000 and the Next Era contract has an additional allowance of $15,000.

The board meeting tomorrow is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the High School Library, and can be streamed on YouTube at tinyurl.com/mrtue9s8.

–

Other project details

–

In May, local voters approved the spending for this project to convert the current grass field inside the high school track — between the high school building and state Route 3 — to an artificial turf field with lights and a scoreboard.

A proposition, to authorize the purchase of bleachers for this field at a maximum cost of $1.25 million, passed by a slightly larger margin — 58.8%, or 862 to 604.

The bleachers and press box project will carry a cost for local taxpayers to not exceed $1.25 million. The district will take out a $1.25 million loan to be paid off over 15 years.

This is estimated to have an $8 per year impact for someone who owns a $200,000 home in the district. Property owners with STAR exemptions would have a $7 impact, and those with senior exemptions would have a $4 impact.

Last month, the board approved a letter of intent with E&D Specialty Stands, Inc. for work on the bleachers and press box at $605,039, as well as a purchase agreement with Musco Sports Lighting, LLC for the lighting at $582,855.

In November, the board agreed to transfer the name of Wilson-Raymond field — currently where the Red Storm play football behind Petrova Elementary School — to the new turf field at the high school.

The new field is expected to support more sports — football, flag football, soccer and lacrosse. The Petrova field will still host modified soccer and football, practices and other sports if the turf field is booked. Right now, there aren’t any plans to rename it.

The district also has a new mascot — “Big Red,” a red tailed hawk with weather elements nodding to the teams’ Red Storm name.