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1
REPORT
of the
Kennedy Field Improvement Advisory Committee
May 22, 2017
2
Committee Members:
George Adelung - Chairperson, New Milford Junior Football
Cheryll Calderon - Vice Chairperson & Secretary, Member of the Public
Hedy Grant - Council President, New Milford
Al Alonso - Councilman, New Milford
Dan Davis - New Milford Little League
Lynden Day - Member of the Public
John Heinemann - Recreation Director
Andrew Lombardi - Member of the Public
Joe Loonam - Member of the Public
Syl Bresa, as a representative for Vince Cahill - Department of Public Works
Pete Goldschmidt - Recreation Commission
3
INTRODUCTION
The Kennedy Field Improvement Advisory Committee (the “Kennedy Field Committee”)
was created by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of New Milford to advise the governing
body on how to improve, enhance and beautify the recreational facilities encompassing and
surrounding Kennedy Field (the “Kennedy Field Complex”) in an effort to maximize its use for
multi-purpose/sport recreational activities, which will enrich the quality of life for New Milford
residents of all ages for the current and future generations.
To this end, the purpose of the Kennedy Field Committee is to:
1) Investigate and study the potential uses of the Kennedy Field area and recommend
the best use of the area to the New Milford governing body.
2) Coordinate with appropriate organizations, departments, committees,
commissions and the New Milford School District.
3) Provide input on how to incorporate quality improvements.
4) Research potential revenue streams and fiscal impacts.
5) Investigate costs of improvements.
6) Assist with grant applications.
This advisory report (“Report”) contains the recommendations of the Kennedy Field
Committee based on the research and analysis of various relevant factors, including but not
limited to, cost of maintenance, safety, participation and growth of the respective sports and
traffic and parking concerns.
4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In a time where open space has become scarce and the number of sports activities
available to children has grown, it has become increasingly difficult for communities and
municipalities to accommodate multiple recreational and athletic activities. Many communities,
particularly densely populated areas like Bergen County, lack the open field space to
accommodate multiple sports that are played in the same season or even successive seasons. Not
only does the lack of space create scheduling problems, it also leads to overuse of the fields that
are available. This has led to increased maintenance labor and costs, which becomes
burdensome and often unsustainable for smaller towns with limited budgets and resources. Still,
despite significant effort by local Departments of Public Works, the fields are often not able to
be optimally maintained due to consistent and unrelenting use and lack of “time off” for the most
widely used fields. This confluence of factors has not only posed scheduling and planning
challenges for various organizations overseeing sports in the communities, but more importantly,
can create poor and, at times, unsafe playing conditions for children.
Recognizing this issue, the New Milford Borough Mayor and Council created an
advisory committee1 to investigate and analyze options for enhancing and improving the fields
within New Milford and secondarily, recommend the best option to meet these goals. With these
tasks in mind, this Committee endeavored to review and analyze the relevant factors to be
considered in order to make a proper and reasonable recommendation to the Mayor and Council.
After careful consideration, this Committee recommends the creation of a multi-use,
sports complex at the area currently known as Kennedy Field and Connelly Field. The
recommendation is based on a thorough investigation and analysis of several factors, such as
reduced cost of maintenance, growing participation in organized sports, lack of current field
space and long term benefits to the borough. In short, the Committee urges the Mayor and
Council to act on this proposal because, quite simply, there is a legitimate need, an ability to
reduce long term costs, and most importantly, a ripe opportunity to do so based on current
funding options.
The Kennedy Field further recommends that this proposed Kennedy Field Complex
include three softball fields (t-ball, Intermediate and Senior), one Little League baseball field,
one regulation sized football field, and one regulation sized soccer field in order to maximize use
by multiple athletic organizations. The complex should also include exercise areas and a
walking path. In addition, to keep maintenance costs from becoming overly burdensome and
accommodate the use of the field by multiple sports concurrently and in successive seasons, the
Kennedy Field Committee recommends that the field surface be synthetic/artificial turf. Further
details of the concept design as well as an examination of the factors considered to arrive at this
recommendation are encompassed herein.
1 Councilman Al Alonso suggested the creation of the “original” Kennedy Field Committee in 2015 and the Council
subsequently voted to create it. The “original” committee was tasked with identifying the location of a new field.
5
I. BACKGROUND
A. New Milford
New Milford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey encompassing approximately
2.308 square miles. According to the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was
16,341, consisting of 6,141 households and 4,207 families. Of those households, almost 30% of
them had children under the age of 18.
According to the New Milford Board of Education, approximately 2,009 students
currently attend New Milford Public Schools in the 2016-2017 school year. Specifically, the
breakdown for each school is as follows: Gibbs School – 470, Berkley Street School – 431,
David E. Owens Middle School – 454, New Milford High School 623, plus 31 out of district
students.
New Milford also has a number of private schools within its city limits, including Saint
Joseph’s School, Hovnanian School, Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County, and The
French American Academy. An undetermined but significant number of New Milford children
are enrolled in these private schools.
B. Sports Currently Offered In New Milford
Despite being a relatively small town, residents and children of New Milford are eligible
to participate in various sports. The town’s Recreation Commission, which operates under the
umbrella and within the constraints of the borough, offers children who are enrolled in
Kindergarten through Eighth (8th
) grade2 the opportunity to participate in Recreation and Travel
Soccer, Recreation Wrestling, Recreation and Travel Basketball, and Recreation and UGals
Softball.
Various independent entities within the borough also provide New Milford children the
opportunity to play football as well as Little League and Travel baseball.
For purposes of this Report, the relevant sports examined were those that take place
outside and require the use of a field. Summaries and descriptions of the sports are below.
i. New Milford Junior Football
The New Milford Junior Football League (NMJFL) is a nonprofit youth football league
in New Milford, New Jersey. The league was started in 1976 and is comprised of boys and girls
ranging from Kindergarten to Eighth (8th
) grade playing football and cheerleading. The season
starts in the beginning of August and ends with cheer competitions in mid-December. The
2 Under New Milford Recreation rules, children must be enrolled in Kindergarten through Eighth grade. However,
Travel Soccer allows children up to age 19 years old to participate in the Spring Travel Soccer Season.
6
NMJFL is part of the Meadowlands Football League (MFL) which is comprised of the following
towns: Wood Ridge, Hasbrouck Heights, Carlstadt/East Rutherford, Rutherford, Lyndhurst,
Harrison, Saddle Brook, Elmwood Park, Manchester, North Arlington and Wallington. The
program has been very successful and has won multiple championships and cheer competitions.
There are approximately 240 children in the program. The league is funded through registration
fees, sponsorships and fundraising. The program has a “no child left behind” policy in that no
child will be turned away from the program for not being able to provide the registration fee. All
coaches in the program are volunteers and must be Rutgers, CPR/AED, USA Football Heads Up
certified to coach in the NMJFL. A background check is required for all volunteers on a yearly
basis as well. The Executive Board that administers the league is comprised of a President, 2
Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Secretary, Field and Facilities Coordinator, Equipment Manager,
Sponsorship Coordinator, League Representative, Cheer Coordinator and trustees. The Executive
Board is also comprised of volunteers and is subject to a yearly background check. The league is
in good standing with the Meadowlands Football League (MFL) as our League Representative is
also the President of the MFL.
(Summary provided by NMJFL President, George Adelung}
ii. New Milford Little League
New Milford Little League (NMLL), a 501(c)(3) entity, was chartered with Little League
International and incorporated in 1951 with the purpose of providing a baseball organization for
the community teaching not only the sport, but also character, sportsmanship and
dedication. The Little League presently has 14 active members of the Executive Board, which
consists of President, Vice-President/Treasurer, Vice-President/League Information Officer,
Secretary, Safety Director, Sponsor/Fundraising Chair, Volunteer Chair, Equipment/Building
Coordinator, three (3) Senior Groundskeepers/Facility Coordinators and three (3) Player
Agents/Liaisons. Our League Safety Director is also currently the Safety Director for Little
League in the State of New Jersey. All coaches and volunteers a required to undergo annual
background checks, and all coaches must take part in both safety and coaching clinics mandated
by Little League International.
Teams traditionally begin practices in March, with spring season beginning in April,
concluding with the summer travel season at the end of July. Some age groups also participate in
fall baseball divisions from August through October. The games are played mostly on Connelly
Field and Pavone Field. The Junior League Division (13 and 14 year olds) plays games on
LaBarbera Field as their “home” field. The teams also utilize Warren St. Park Field for make-up
games when other fields are unavailable.
For the 2017 season, there are approximately 321 players in the league.
NMLL currently has a relationship with Dumont Little League. Specifically, Major
League and Junior League Divisions play “in-district” games versus Dumont in Dumont as well
7
as New Milford. NMLL also enjoys a relationship with Bergenfield Little League collaborating
in a “Challenger” program for special needs players.
The teams are encouraged to practice at least twice per week in the preseason and once
per week during the regular season. The teams are scheduled to play at least two (2) games per
week for approximately eight (8) weeks, continuing with a travel season of six (6) weeks in the
summer. In total, the teams play approximately 160 games in the spring and with 80 games in
the summer during travel season.
NMLL’s fundraising activities include securing sponsorships with area businesses as well
as a seasonal raffle during the season, “shake the hat” days where players help ask for donations
and a tricky tray/trivia night. The snack stand also helps raise needed funds. These funds are used
towards equipment and operating costs of the league, and more importantly provide NMLL the
opportunity to provide free registration to low income families as well as giving back with
scholarships to past players for college.
(Summary Provided by NMLL President, Dan Davis)
iii. New Milford Recreation and Travel Soccer
The New Milford Recreation Commission offers children enrolled in Kindergarten to
Eighth (8th
) grade the opportunity to participate in Recreation Soccer. Children between the ages
of 6-19 are also able to play Travel Soccer for the town sponsored “club team” known as the
New Milford Futbol Club.
The Recreation Program offers children the opportunity to play regardless of skill level.
The teams are divided into the following divisions: Kindergarten, 1st-2
nd Grade (Clinic), 3
rd-5
th
Grade (Juniors) and 6th
-8th
grade (Seniors). The teams are distributed evenly based on player
evaluations completed by coaches from the prior season as well as a “player draft” at the Junior
and Senior levels. This past Fall 2016 season there were 27 total Recreation Soccer teams.
During this current Spring 2017 season, there are 13 total teams. During the spring season, the
teams are limited to Kindergarten through 5th
grade. Teams are encouraged to practice one (1) to
two (2) times per week, with one (1) game per week. The fall season includes ten (10) games
while the abbreviated spring season includes six (6) games.
For the Fall 2016 season, 293 players participated in Recreation Soccer. The Spring 2017
season currently has 169 players.
In contrast, the Travel Soccer teams play at a more competitive level than the Recreation
teams. The players must try out for the respective teams and must exhibit the skill necessary to
compete at a higher level. New Milford Travel teams participate in the Northern Counties
Soccer Association (NCSA) which consists of approximately 80 clubs stretching from the
Hudson River to Sussex County and from Orange County, NY to Union County, NJ. The
8
opposing teams played by each team vary by division and flight. Travel teams participate in a
fall and spring season. The season begins in September through December for the fall season
while the spring season begins in March and ends in June. Teams typically practice twice a
week and play in a weekly game. Both the Fall and Spring Travel Seasons play ten (10) games in
each respective season.
The Fall Travel season consisted of eight (8) Travel Teams in 2016 while the current
2017 Spring Travel season includes seven (7) Spring Travel teams, ranging from U8 (8 and
under) through U19 (19 and under). In the Fall 2016 season, 98 players participated on the Fall
Travel teams. The Spring 2017 season currently has 100 players participating.
iv. New Milford Recreation and Travel Softball
The New Milford Recreation Commission offers children enrolled in Kindergarten
through eighth (8th
) grade the opportunity to play Recreation and Travel Softball. The
Recreation Softball Program allows girls of all skill levels to participate in the game of softball.
The different divisions are divided by age, specifically Kindergarten-2nd
grade, 3rd
-5th
, and 6th
-
8th
. The teams are encouraged to practice weekly and participate in ten (10) games per season.
The games primarily take place at Kennedy Field. In recent years, the Recreation Program has
partnered with Bergenfield and Paramus for games and scrimmages.
Players with higher skill levels are also afforded the opportunity to participate in Travel
Softball, which competes in the United Girl Athletic League Suburbia (UGALS), a softball
league for girls age 10U (10 and under) and 17U (17 and under).
There are approximately 154 Recreation Softball players and 28 UGals players
participating in the spring 2017 season.
C. Number of Children Participating in Sports Continues to Grow
The number of children playing each sport in town has been consistent, and for certain
sports, increasing throughout the years. Below is a breakdown of the number of children who
participated in each sport in from the years 2014-2016:
Sports Participation By the Numbers34
2014 2015 2016
Spring Softball 156 151 157
Spring/Summer Travel Softball 42 44 43
3 These numbers are approximate and likely not exact.
4 Approximate figures were 2014 and 2015 were unavailable for Recreation and Travel Soccer due to turnover at the
Coordinator position and the lack of record keeping.
9
2014 2015 2016
Fall Travel Softball 42 28 15
Summer Women's Softball 82 96 96
Spring Soccer N/A N/A5 189
Fall Soccer N/A 217 293
Fall Travel Soccer N/A 74 98
Total Participants Playing 240 610 891
2014 2015 2016
NMLL
290 305 318
2014 2015 2016
NMJFL
(Football Players and Cheerleaders 225 234 240
D. Recreation Fields
At present, there are currently nine (9) fields available for use for organized sporting
events and practices. As expected, certain fields are utilized more frequently due to location,
specialized field of play, lighting and convenience. Below is a description of the fields utilized
by the various sports.
i. Kennedy Field
Kennedy Field, the target area chosen for this project, is located behind the New Milford
Borough Hall with an address of 930 River Road, New Milford, New Jersey 07646. It currently
consists of three (3) softball fields, which are used for Recreation and UGals softball during the
spring; and the New Milford Women’s Softball League as well as various other entities in the
summer6. In addition, during the fall, the grassy area in between the softball fields is utilized for
football practices from Monday through Friday during weekdays and Recreation Soccer games
on weekends.
5 The Kennedy Field Committee was not able to obtain the number of participants for spring 2015 as the former
Coordinator no longer has records for that season. 6 Various independent out of town entities request use of the field throughout the year, but predominantly in the
summer months.
10
The Kennedy Field area also includes the Recreation Building, wherein Recreation
Commission meetings and registrations for the various sports take place. The Recreation
building is also used as storage for Recreation sporting equipment and includes a Snack Stand
(run by New Milford Friends of Recreation) and restrooms to be used on game days. The area
is also equipped with permanent lights that allow the various sports to practice and play games at
night.
Kennedy Field, along with Connelly Field (discussed below), is known to many in town
as the center of sports activity in New Milford. Specifically, more than 250 games take place on
Kennedy Field alone throughout the course of the year. That number is in addition to countless
football, soccer and softball practices that occur on a nightly basis at the field throughout the fall,
spring and summer seasons.
According to the Coordinator for Softball, between 150-175 Recreation and Travel
Softball games are played on Kennedy Field from April through July. Also, though the main
field where soccer is played is primarily Williams Field (discussed below), Recreation Soccer
does hold some games for younger age levels at Kennedy Field as well. According to the Soccer
Coordinator, over 50 Recreation soccer games are played on Kennedy Field from September
through November. In addition, during the summer months, the New Milford Women’s Softball
League also plays approximately 24 games at the field. Other entities who request Use Permits
from the Recreation Commission throughout the year also play an undetermined number of
games at the field.
ii. Connelly Field
Connelly Field is one of the four baseball fields used by New Milford Little League and
is located adjacent to Kennedy Field behind Borough Hall. It includes one baseball diamond
and the New Milford Little League building, snack stand and equipment garage. On the grounds
between Connelly Field and Kennedy Field is also a small playground. The field is used by
Little League players ages 4-13. The field is enclosed by permanent fencing that is used to
display sponsorship signs. The field is also equipped with lighting for night time games and
practices.
During the course of a season, over 160 games will take place at Connelly Field alone, in
addition to countless practices throughout the season. Last fall, Connelly Field was also the
location for multiple “training sessions” for the Travel Soccer teams that required the use of
lights.
As part of the improvements to Kennedy Field and the creation of the proposed multi-use
Kennedy Field Complex, Connelly Field would be renovated and subsumed into the concept
design in order to accommodate a full length, regulation football and soccer field.
11
iii. La Barbera Field
La Barbera Field is located behind Connelly Field nearest to the Borough’s Department
of Public Works Facility (NMDPW). Little League uses the field in the spring for its Junior and
Senior divisions, which includes players between the ages of 13-14 years old.
During the fall, the field is used by NMJFL for football practices for its Flag Football and
Mighty Mites teams. The field is also the venue for all of NMJFL home games and select
playoff games. There are four home games per season for each NMJFL level, totaling 20 games
per season.
The New Milford High School Baseball Team also currently uses the field for some
home games. In addition, during the summer and spring months, the New Milford Recreation
Department issues permits to outside entities to utilize the field.
iv. Pavone Field
Pavone Field is located next to La Barbera Field near Hardcastle Pond. The field is
primarily used during the spring and summer baseball seasons for the t-ball, Clinic and Minor
League division teams (ages 4-11), and certain Travel Baseball teams. There are approximately
60 games that take place at Pavone Field during the year, in addition to practices throughout the
week. Due to flooding issues that occur during rain events, however, the use of the field is
limited. In some instances, due these weather issues and the resulting scheduling conflicts, many
games cannot be rescheduled.
v. Williams Field
Williams Field is located behind the New Milford Public Library, with an address of 200
Dahlia Drive, New Milford, New Jersey 07646. The field is used primarily for Recreation and
Travel soccer in the fall and spring months, beginning in August and continuing through
November, and again from March through June. During those months of use, there can be as
many as twenty (20) games per weekend at the field, which includes both Recreation and Travel
Soccer. There are typically ten (10) weeks in a soccer season, thus there can be potentially 200
games at Williams Field in a season.
At the height of the fall soccer season, Williams Field is used on a nightly basis by
Recreation and Travel Soccer teams. In the months of August-late September, there may be as
many as 12 teams practicing a night, five days a week – totaling 60 practices per week. As it
becomes later in the fall, because there is less daylight and the field is not equipped with lights,
teams are not able to practice past 5:30 pm, significantly reducing the number of practices at the
field. Though the field is not equipped with permanent lights, the Mayor and Council recently
purchased and allocated temporary lights for use at the field during the fall soccer season.
12
Recreation Softball also uses Williams Field in the spring for practices. During the
spring, softball is given priority to use the field thereby reducing the number of teams that can
practice at Williams Field at a time. In addition, due to the condition of the grass at Kennedy
Field and the softball program’s priority status at that field as well, soccer is not allowed to be
played there during the spring season. Thus, the soccer program faces similar limitations
regarding practice field space in the spring as it does in the fall.
vi. Berkley Field
Berkley Field is located directly behind Berkley Street School with an address of 812
Berkley Street, New Milford, New Jersey 07646. It currently includes a baseball diamond and a
large grass field. During the fall, Recreation Soccer teams hold practices at the field periodically
depending on field availability. The field is not equipped with lights which make its use limited.
The borough’s Mayor and Council recently approved the field for renovation. The cost
estimate from Boswell Engineering for improvements to the field totaled $270,000. The town
received a grant in the amount of $135,000 and the Board of Education contributed $40,000.
The borough will fund the balance of the renovation.
vii. Warren Park Field
Warren Park is located at just a few blocks from Boulevard and New Bridge Road. The
field includes a playground and baseball diamond. The park is primarily used during the spring
for t-ball practices and occasionally for Clinic level make up baseball games.
In the fall, recreation soccer may practice on the field from time to time but very rarely.
viii. High School Cafeteria Field
The High School Cafeteria Field is located behind New Milford High School with an
address of 33 River Road, New Milford, New Jersey 07646. While the field is primarily used by
the New Milford High School Junior Varsity Soccer teams, when not in use, the field is used by
New Milford Recreation during the fall to hold recreation soccer practices as well as games on
Sundays for Junior level teams.
ix. Middle School Field
The Middle School Field is located behind David E. Owens Middle School with an
address of 470 Marion Avenue, New Milford, New Jersey 07646. It consists of two (2)
softball/baseball diamonds. The field is primarily used by the New Milford High School teams
in the fall and spring months, but is occasionally used by Recreation Soccer in the fall for
practice purposes.
13
x. Board of Education Exclusive Fields
This discussion does not include a description of Gibbs School Field and the High School
Football field. These fields are exclusively used by the Board of Education. New Milford
Recreation, NMLL and NMJFL do not currently use or have access to the fields.
xi. Prospective Field – United Water Property
As a result of a settlement reached between the Borough of New Milford and the New
Milford Redevelopment Association (NMRA), there is a proposal in place which includes plans
to build a recreational field of dimensions 360 feet by 180 feet at the former United Water
Property.
The settlement, attached as Exhibit A, provides for NMRA to subdivide the property and
transfer by deed 4.4 acres to New Milford within one year of receiving final non-appealable site
plan approval. The site plan application has been filed with the New Milford Planning Board and
will be heard on May 23, 2017.
At the time that the property is transferred to New Milford, it will contain a paved 103
space parking lot, a 50-year storm water retention system and a field graded for either grass or
synthetic turf. The concept design for the property includes a regulation sized soccer field,
within which there will be a football field. In addition, NMRA will provide $750,000 to New
Milford, which is to be held in a separate sub-account and utilized solely for the development of
recreation and community facilities on the UW property. NMRA will also provide $50,000 to
the borough to be used solely for cleaning and rehabilitation of the recreational and community
facilities should they become flooded and a reimbursement for up to $75,000 towards costs
associated with the substrate.
The Kennedy Field Committee did consider the existing fields in town while
contemplating a recommendation to the Mayor and Council, particularly as they relate to
availability and use. Since the project at the United Water Property is a prospective one and
because the Committee is limited in its scope, the Committee did not speculate as to the
availability and use at the field referred to in the settlement with NMRA. However, it is
important to note that the members of the Committee did undertake extensive discussions about
the property and it was the general consensus of the members that even if a field is built at the
United Water Property, whether grass or synthetic turf, the Committee’s recommendation would
remain unchanged.
14
II. DISCUSSION
A. The Current Fields are Not Sufficient
As the numbers above demonstrate, hundreds of New Milford children participate in
organized sports throughout the fall, spring, and summer seasons. These sports take place on
various fields and locations throughout the town, with some fields more frequently used than
others due to location, lighting and field conditions. As popularity of these organized sports
increase due to societal and economic changes, the numbers will only continue to grow. As
demonstrated by the participation numbers for the respective sports described above, the number
of children enrolled in sports continues to increase.
Despite the consistent growth in organized sports, little has been done over the years to
improve or increase the availability of recreational fields within the town. In the fall, when
daylight becomes an issue, sports teams are left with even fewer options. For example, the only
fields with lights are LaBarbera Field, Connelly Field and Kennedy Field. Connelly, however, is
unavailable for use in the fall and LaBarbera and Kennedy Field are used primarily by NMJFL.
Thus, soccer teams are left with little to no options once October approaches and daylight is
limited. This past fall 2017 season, because several Travel Soccer “training sessions” required
lights, soccer teams were forced to practice at Kennedy Field simultaneously with NMJFL
teams. Further, during the spring season, soccer is not considered a “priority” and is not able to
use Kennedy Field and has limited use of Williams Field during weekdays. This not only creates
a scheduling problem for all sports involved, but a potential safety issue as well. Unfortunately
due to the limited availability of fields in town, due to either light or use issues, situations such as
these have become more common and cannot be avoided.
A multi-use complex at Kennedy Field would serve to mitigate some of these issues.
With the inclusion of the area around Connelly Field, the football teams would have a larger area
to practice, making it possible to practice multiple teams at a time and thus allowing the soccer
program some access to the field during the fall. Additionally, a multi-use complex with
synthetic turf would help remedy issues that arise during the spring as well, including reducing
maintenance costs and improving field conditions. The need is particularly apparent at Kennedy
Field where grass is unable to grow in certain areas of the field due to heavy use by the football
teams in the fall. In fact this spring, there was a decision made not to use Kennedy Field for
Travel Soccer, despite the need, because by April the grass had not grown back.
It is clear that the time is now for the municipality to address the growth and popularity
of organized sports in our community to ensure that there are ample facilities to accommodate
these changes in the coming years. Attached as Exhibit B are letters supporting this proposal
from the heads of the various sports in New Milford.
15
B. Maintenance of Kennedy Field and Connelly Field
Given the current level of participation in organized sports by the children of New
Milford and the limited usable field space allotted, many of the fields in town are over used and
not sufficiently maintained. Kennedy Field, the target site for the multi-use complex, is
currently maintained by the NMDPW field staff. Maintenance of Connelly Field, on the other
hand, is primarily done by NMLL volunteer parents and coaches. The NMDPW is required to
expend significant resources to maintain the field in its current condition, despite its limited
recourse and budget and NMLL are is forced to use a significant portion for their budget and
allot valuable resources and time for field maintenance.
Both natural grass fields are currently watered, fertilized, top soiled and seeded as
needed. The grass is cut weekly and manicured. Clay is purchased on an as needed basis and
the infields are maintained by dragging and raking extensively. Leaves and debris are blown off
the fields in the fall months when necessary. The fields are also lined weekly with field paint
and field lime is installed on a per game basis.
According to the NMLL, the cost to maintain Connelly Field is over $25,000 per season.
According to the NMDPW, the costs associated with maintenance of Kennedy Field – and
specifically the costs of maintaining the natural grass - are significant and rising. A detailed
accounting of the maintenance costs associated with the current Kennedy Field as represented by
the NMDPW is attached as Exhibit C. A detailed accounting of the cost to maintain Connelly
Field as represented by the NMLL is attached as Exhibit D.
Under the new proposed plan, with the use of synthetic turf, the maintenance will be
reduced to a twice per month raking of the field with the use of a power rake. The power rake is
a trailer hookup that is towed behind a tractor or any lightweight vehicle with a tow hitch. This
will be done by the NMDPW staff or can be done by the various volunteer organizations
utilizing the field. The time to power rake the field will be one man one hour per instance -
totaling two (2) hrs per month. The manufacturer recommendation for the use of this field is to
power rake twice monthly. A Power Vac, which will likely be provided by the company
contracted to install the synthetic turf, will also be utilized to remove debris and leaves from the
field as needed. The approximate maintenance time necessary in fall months is 30 minutes per
week for 8 weeks.
The installation of synthetic turf will lead to a significant savings in cost of maintenance
and labor. After some discussion with a vendor7 who specializes in synthetic turf, the
Committee was advised that the annual cost for maintaining a synthetic field could be as little as
$4,000 per year during the life span of the field. This is in contrast to the costs associated with
the maintenance of grass fields as represented by the NMDPW and NMLL. The likely life span
7 The Kennedy Field Committee has not chosen a vendor to assist with building a synthetic turf field. The number
provided is only an estimate.
16
of the field is estimated to be 12-15 years before it will need to be replaced at an approximate
cost of $500,000-$750,000.
Below is a chart showing a line by line comparison of costs per year.
Natural Grass Field vs. Synthetic Turf Field
Kennedy Field Connelly Field Combined
Kennedy &
Connelly
Synthetic Turf
Maintenance $8,091 $2,791.31 $10,882 $4,000
Supplies $8,093.21 $9,296.46 $17,389.67
Fertilizer/
Seeding/
Pesticide
$4,488 $3,230 $7,718
Irrigation $1,659.44 $3210.73 $4,870.17
Labor $28,8608 $14,400
9 $43,260.00 $1,400
10
Miscellaneous $1,654.04 $1,654.04
TOTAL $51,191.65 $34,582.54 $85,447.19 $5,40011
i. Weather Related Maintenance
As previously discussed, the fields at Kennedy and Connelly Fields currently consist of
natural grass and clay. As such, in the event of rain or inclement weather, various measures must
be taken to maintain the field. Some of the necessary steps are listed below:
(a) Use of Turfice quick dry applied to field clay areas to soak up rain water.
(b) Pumping of water off fields as needed.
(c) Raking the clay infields as needed.
8 Breakdown of labor costs annually according to the DPW - Grass (mowing, sweeping, and trimming)
$14,500 a year, Infield Maintenance $10,340 a year, Irrigation System $4,020 a year. 9 NMLL maintains Connelly Field through the hard work of its parent/coach volunteers. The number provided is the
fair cost for labor, as estimated by NMLL. 10
Per the estimate for labor required to maintain synthetic turf, the NMDPW estimated that it would cost $1,200 per
year to Power Rake (24 hours of labor) and an additional $200 annually to Power Vac (4 hours of labor). This
estimate based solely on hourly pay and does not include medical, worker’s compensation or pension payments
which the borough is also responsible for. 11
Estimated cost is based on discussions with one vendor and does not take into consideration the cost of
replacement. The Kennedy Field Committee has not be authorized to engage a vendor or engineer, thus all costs
regarding synthetic turf and any replacement are speculative.
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Despite the above steps, however, in many instances because of water accumulation and
pooling, games are often postponed or cancelled due to unplayable and unsafe field conditions.
Under the proposed plan there will be minimal maintenance involved as a result of weather
events. The only step necessary will be to wait for the inclement weather to end and, in most
cases, the fields will be playable within one (1) hour after the event. The need to reschedule and
postpone games will be greatly reduced
ii. Maintenance due to Overuse
In addition to day-to-day maintenance, certain measures are taken to remedy and address
the overuse of the fields. This has required additional top soiling and seeding as needed as well
as raking and moving dirt. Teams must also regularly rotate and relocate areas of play in order to
reduce the wear and tear on certain portions of the field that endure a lot of traffic. Closing off
certain areas of the fields at certain times is also necessary to allow the ground and soil to
regenerate and not deteriorate. These practices often serve to constrict practices and limit the
play of teams, and can cause scheduling issues as well.
Under the new proposed field plan, the maintenance required would be the minimal day-
to-day maintenance as discussed above. No other additional measures would be necessary.
C. Safety of Fields
The Kennedy Field Committee recognizes that the use of artificial/synthetic turf as a
playing surface is highly controversial for a number of reasons. Many believe that to preserve
the integrity of certain sports, they should only be played on natural grass. Others argue that the
use of synthetic turf exposes players and athletes to a higher risk of injury. In addition, there is
concern from some that the use of artificial/synthetic turf increases the risks for certain cancers.
During the course of the Committee’s investigation and analysis, all of these concerns were
considered and several peer-reviewed scientific articles as well as media articles were examined
to come to a consensus regarding the playing surface to be used at the proposed Kennedy Field
Complex. It’s important to note at the outset that while review of the scientific literature and
media were instructive in our decision, no members of the Kennedy Field Committee are
medical personnel, athletic trainers or well versed, let alone professionally educated, in the
sciences. Therefore, our recommendation is based solely on a layman’s review of these
materials.
One of the scientific articles reviewed compared the mechanical and biomechanical
responses between artificial turf infills and the performance of natural fields. According to this
article, the natural ground proved to be stiffer. Zanetti, Bignardi, Franceschini, Audenino.
Amateur football pitches: mechanical properties of the natural ground and of different artificial
turf infills and their biomechanical implications. J. Sports Sci., (2013)31(7):76778 (2013).
Another study reviewed prospectively reported the epidemiology of injuries in 80 young soccer
players playing on artificial turf over the course of one season. The study ultimately concluded
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that artificial turf pitches do not seem to contribute to injury incidence in young soccer players.
Bianco, Spedicato, Petrucci, Messina, Thomas, Sahin, Paoli, Plama. A Prospective Analysis of
the Injury Incidence of Young Male Professional Football Players on Artificial Turf. Asian J.
Sports Med. (2016) 7(1):e28425. In an even more recent study, male soccer athletes from 11
universities were evaluated over six (6) seasons. Over the course of the study, 380 team games
were played on “FieldTurf” while 385 were played on natural grass. The results indicated that
in many cases, synthetic turf was safer when comparing injuries in collegiate soccer. The study
did note, however, that the findings may not be generalizable to other levels of competition or to
other artificial surfaces. Meyers. Incidence, Mechanisms, and Severity of Match-Related
Collegiate Men’s Soccer Injuries on FieldTurf and Natural Grass. Am J Sports Med. (2017)
Mar; 45(3): 708-718.
In contrast, an epidemiological study conducted in 2013 which examined the injuries of
amateur soccer players on artificial turf over the course of one season, concluded that the injury
incidence in amateur players is higher during matches played on artificial turf than during
training sessions. Sousa, Rebelo, Brito. Injuries in amateur soccer player on artificial turf: a
one-season prospective study. Phys Ther Sport. (2013) 14(3):146-51. A 2015 study published in
the American Journal of Sports Medicine conducted a systematic review of the available
literature on risk of ACL rupture on natural grass versus artificial turf. Despite originally
hypothesizing that the risk of ACL rupture on synthetic playing surfaces would not be higher
than that of natural grass, the authors ultimately found the opposite. This investigation
concluded that high quality studies support an increased rate of ACL injury on synthetic playing
surfaces in football, but found no apparent risk in soccer. Ultimately, the article concluded that
further study is needed to clarify the reason for the discrepancy. Balazs, Pavey, Brelin, Pickett,
Keblish, Rue. Risk of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Athletes on a Synthetic Playing
Surface: A Systematic Review. Am J Sports Med. (2015) Jul; 43(7):1798-804.
Lastly, in a study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine in 2013, the authors
conducted a “meta-analysis” of soccer injuries on artificial turf and natural grass. This study
specifically addressed the seemingly opposite conclusions by many scientific studies regarding
the risk of injury on synthetic turf and the lack of a general consensus within the scientific
community. After a thorough investigation and examination of relevant literature, the authors
ultimately concluded that they found no evidence that playing matches or training on artificial
turf raises the risk of injury to soccer players. However, the authors continued, until more is
known about how issues such as altered playing styles affect injury incidence, it is difficult to
make conclusions regarding the direct and indirect roles of artificial turf in player safety.
Williams, Akogyrem, Williams. A Meta-Analysis of Soccer Injuries on Artificial Turf and
Natural Grass. J of Sports Med (2013); 380523.
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The Kennedy Field Committee takes a similar position as the authors of this meta-
analysis. After a review of several materials, there does not appear to be an overwhelming
opinion within the scientific community that artificial/synthetic turf increases the risk of injury to
players. Specifically, of the articles reviewed, some concluded that the risk of injury was lower,
while others concluded the risk of injury was higher. Thus, because there appears to be no
general consensus within the scientific community, and after a balancing of factors such as
maintenance, durability, and convenience, the Committee is comfortable with its
recommendation of artificial turf.
Notably, there is also considerable concern among parents regarding the possibility that
synthetic turf increases the risk of certain cancers. Given these concerns and the complexity of
the issue, the Kennedy Field Committee is not in a position to address these issues in a
comprehensive manner. As members of the community, volunteers and laypersons with regard
to scientific data, the Committee is limited in its ability to make certain conclusions regarding
this topic. As such, the only opinion regarding this matter that the members of this Committee
can express is that, based on all reports and articles published, there appears to be no conclusive
evidence that the fill used in synthetic surfaces causes an increased risk of cancer. However,
there also does not appear to be definitive evidence that the substances in synthetic turf does not
increase that risk. At present, the federal government is actively conducting studies on this topic;
however, multiple state health departments have studied this issue as well and have not found an
elevated cancer risk. Attached as Exhibit E are media articles reviewed by the Committee
regarding this topic as well as letters from the Massachusetts Department of Health and the
Connecticut Department of Public Health confirming the safety of the crumb rubber infill used in
synthetic turf.
D. Discussions with Other Recreation Departments
i. Experiences with Turf Fields
To investigate all options for a multi-use complex at Kennedy Field, members of the
Kennedy Field Committee conducted numerous visits to towns that have installed artificial turf
fields. The reasoning behind the visits was to obtain information from experienced users on why
they constructed their projects with artificial turf as well as discuss their experience with the
synthetic surface. The four towns involved in this process were Edgewater, Saddle Brook,
Woodbridge and Bergenfield. A member of the committee also conducted a telephone
conference with the Recreation Director for Dumont. Various members of this Committee were
able to speak with recreation directors, field maintenance staff and schedule coordinators for the
fields. During all of the visits as well as the telephone conference, the overwhelming benefit
from all of the towns’ perspectives was availability and use. The artificial turf gave the towns the
options to hold many more games and practices despite weather events. The maintenance costs
of the fields had also been lowered considerably. Members of the Committee also discussed
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safety issues during these visits and were told that the incidence of injuries had not increased
(outside of normal sports injuries) since the installation of artificial turf.
Woodbridge was a particularly interesting visit due to the fact they have nine (9) fields
that ranged from a field on the end of its life span, a “CoolPlay” field and an organic infill field.
The Recreation Director in Woodbridge shared his experience with each field and expressed that
he was even satisfied with the field that was made with the controversial “DuraSpine” from the
company FieldTurf.12
Saddle Brook Veterans field was a project that was originally designed and completed in
grass and then was changed to artificial turf as they were unable to maintain the field properly
and accommodate multiple sports. Since the change, the field is now scheduled every day from 3
pm to 10 pm with uses ranging from youth sports to fireman playing softball.
Edgewater had just completed their field prior to a member of the Committee visiting the
field. During the visit, the head of scheduling stated that the night before the grand opening of
the field it rained torrentially. However, despite the rain event, they were able to still start their
event at 10 am the next morning despite the extreme weather event.
Roy Brown field in Bergenfield how houses a multi-use field with soccer, football,
softball and baseball set up with a walking path around the entire complex. Undoubtedly, this
site with its close proximity and similar uses is the best barometer for this proposed project. The
member of the Committee who visited the field was impressed with how well the field was done
and the ability to accommodate multiple sports.
A member of the Committee contacted the Dumont Recreation Directors via telephone as
well. During the conversation the Recreation Director expressed his extreme satisfaction with
the town’s current turf field and also shared that he was interested in renovating their softball
fields with artificial turf. The over arching reason, he shared, was that despite how much money
was spent on the grass fields, the town could never satisfactorily maintain them due to the
recurrent flooding problems. He has not had any similar problems with the town’s turf field.
Lastly, a Committee member also reached out to the recreation officials from Oradell and
Rutherford, who are both currently in the process of replacing synthetic turf fields. Neither town
has experienced any negative issues while replacing their fields so far. The cost to replace the
Oradell field is approximately $500,000 while the cost to replace the Rutherford field, which is
larger and includes a track, is approximately $750,000.
In conclusion, the overriding theme of the visits was that all of the departments and towns
were extremely satisfied with their turf facilities due to the increased use the surfaces afforded
12
DuraSpine fields are the subject of several product liability lawsuits throughout the country due to defective
design. Complainants are alleging that the DuraSpine fields are falling apart much earlier than expected.
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them and the lowered maintenance labor and cost. In fact, many were looking into options for
increasing the number of synthetic turf options in their towns.
E. Prospective Cost of Project
iii. Funding Sources
This Committee is committed to the goal of improving recreation facilities throughout town,
however, the members are also cognizant of possible financial implications due to these
improvements. Taking this into account, due to the opportunity to obtain grant money to fund a
significant portion of the project, the Committee is confident that the project is fiscally
sustainable and possible. Specifically, the borough submitted a “Green Acres Grant” on
February 7, 2017 for up to 25% of cost of project less building costs and professional fees.
Attached as Exhibit F is the Green Acres Grant documentation.
In addition, the borough will also apply at a later date for the Bergen County Open Space
Grant for up to one hundred twenty five thousand dollars ($125,000).
These two grants, coupled with a possible contribution by the borough, should hopefully
make this project feasible. The Kennedy Field Committee was not tasked with nor are we in a
position to calculate or speculate about any possible tax burden on residents of the community.
Thus, any discussion of tax implications will be left to the Mayor and Council.
F. Parking and Traffic
The Committee, comprised of members of the community, is obviously sensitive to
traffic and parking issues that may result from increased volume and traffic at this location.
Given the proposed plan, the effect on parking and traffic will be manageable. Parking at the
new Kennedy Field Complex will continue to be on Columbia Street, LaBarbera Field, as well as
the New Milford Swim Club when it is not in operation. Further, with the addition of the new
police department and an accompanying parking lot, there will be additional parking spots
available.
In an effort to address any additional traffic concerns, the concept plan was also shown to
Lt. Robert T. Jones, NMPD Traffic Officer, who indicated that he did not anticipate any
additional traffic problems at the site as a result of the proposed new facility. However, to
alleviate traffic concerns from those in the surrounding streets, the Committee encourages the
Mayor and Council to consider placing a sign on the corner of River Road and Trotta Drive
which denotes the Kennedy Field Complex with an arrow pointing North towards Patrolman Ray
Woods Lane. In addition, all directions given to visiting teams playing New Milford Teams will
be given Patrolman Ray Woods Lane as the address. This will be done in hopes of diverting
traffic to lessen the impact to the residents of Trotta Drive, Oak Lane, River Lane and Arlington
Road. Access to Trotta can also be blocked off during certain events when deemed necessary by
NMPD. A proposal to make the exiting of Columbia Street to Trotta drive a one way proceeding
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south may be a potential option as well. This will obviously be at the discretion of the Borough
and NMPD.
Attached as Exhibit G is a letter of support from Lt. Robert T. Jones, NMPD Traffic
Division.
III. RECOMMENDATION AND DESIGN
After taking all of the above factors into consideration, it is the recommendation of the
Kennedy Committee that a multi-use sports complex be erected at the Kennedy Field/Connelly
Field location. The goal of this proposed “Kennedy Field Multi-Use Facility” will be to create
a high volume state of the art facility to be enjoyed by not only the children and parents of New
Milford, but all borough residents alike. With the location being directly adjacent to our
Borough Hall, the complex will have the potential to become the hub and nucleus of the town,
creating an environment for all to watch and participate in organized sports, engage in passive or
strenuous exercise and attend community events. The goal is for the Kennedy Field Multi Use
Complex to be a place that all Borough residents can utilize and be proud of.
As a Multi-Use Complex, various sport and activities can utilize and enjoy the facilities
including:
i. New Milford Little League.
ii. New Milford Junior Football.
iii. New Milford Recreation Softball.
iv. New Milford Recreation Travel Softball.
v. New Milford Recreation Soccer.
vi. New Milford Recreation Travel Soccer.
vii. Exercise stations/equipment for the use of all residents.
viii. General resident field use.
If approved to move forward, the Committee would welcome the opportunity to work
with the Borough’s contracted engineers, Boswell Engineering, to put a design plan in place that
would include certain design elements. After exhaustive discussions with the various heads of
organized sports in town, the following is a list of recommended features to be included at the
facility:
1. One regulation Little League field.
2. Two full size softball fields.
3. One Softball t-ball field.
4. One regulation soccer field.
5. One regulation football field.
6. Two 35 yd X 55 yard youth soccer fields.
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7. Field surface consisting of artificial turf.
8. Power Rake and Power Vac as part of the artificial turf package.
9. A walking path encompassing the entire property.
10. Renovation of blacktop area in front of Connelly Field building as well as retaining wall.
11. Outdoor exercise stations along the walking path (similar to those found at Farleigh
Dickinson Campus).
12. Perimeter fencing of complex including, but not limited to, Patrolman Ray Woods Lane.
13. New scoreboards (1 Football/Soccer, 1 Little League, 2 Softball).
14. Benches for players as needed.
15. New dugouts with lighting.
16. Safety ball netting as needed to preserve separation/safety between softball and Little
League fields.
17. Relocation of existing Little League batting cage
18. Purchase of sturdy temporary outfield fencing that can withstand affixed sponsor banners.
19. Purchase of enough temporary fencing to be used as event fencing as well.
20. Permanent pitcher’s mound on Little League Field.
21. Purchase of 2 portable football goal posts.
22. Purchase of 4 youth soccer goals.
23. Purchase of 2 softball backstops.
24. Purchase of 1 t-ball backstop.
25. Purchase of 1 Little League backstop.
26. Bleachers as needed.
27. Renovation to existing Recreation Building bathrooms - 3 Women’s, 3 Men’s.
28. Renovation of existing Connelly Field bathrooms - 1 Men’s, 1 Women’s.
29. Relocation of 5 -12 year old playground.
30. Sound system and press box.
31. Purchase of new lighting.
32. Relocation of existing lighting as needed.
33. New signage as needed.
34. Warning track in Connelly Field.
35. NMLL will have exclusivity at Connelly Field from 3/15 – 7/30 each season.
36. Connelly Field will keep the name Connelly Field.
37. Assessment of possibility of renovating Recreation Building.
38. Assessment of runoff of field into Recreation Building.
This list, while detailed, is not meant to be an exhaustive list but rather a recommendation
based on discussions with the various entities and individuals in town. The list may be amended
as needed, and as the design process moves forward.
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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, taking all of the above factors into consideration, the members of Kennedy
Field Committee urge the Mayor and Council to pursue this project for the benefit of all the
residents of New Milford.