By Kim Siebert MacPhail
David Sukoff, chair of the Outdoor Recreation Area Study Committee (ORASC), presented a report to the Selectmen on April 22 that ostensibly completes the group’s assignment to recommend how to address Bedford’s on-going athletic field issues. It is ORASC’s opinion, Sukoff said, that an oversight committee be formed to ensure that “best practices” are followed that improve and maintain the remaining natural grass fields.
In a memo detailing ORASC’s work since November’s Special Town Meeting, it was noted that on February 26, a vote of 4 to 2 recommended that the Selectmen disband the Committee, “to be replaced by a permanent Field Advisory/Oversight Committee and that the Comprehensive [fields] Plan will further comprise Sabourin Field and implementation of best practices, followed by a list of additional field improvement options which have been identified by the committee, without any additional prioritization or specific recommendation.” The list of field improvement options was included in a packet of documents ORASC had compiled for the Selectmen.
“We have a whole section in our report about maintaining best practices,” Sukoff said. “One of the things we stated was that Bedford [was unable] to implement best practices because of the lack of [field] supply. Given that Sabourin is now going to be artificial turf and most—if not all—of the hourly deficit [in field availability] is going to be met, we don’t see any reason why best practices shouldn’t be implemented.
“This is the next highest priority on the list, above any of the other options for field expansion. The impact of Sabourin will be huge in terms of hours and to take use off of other fields. . . . We feel a committee is important to make sure [best practices are] happening, to monitor, to make recommendation[s],” Sukoff added.
Sukoff added that the costs of conducting best practices should be included in the DPW budget, something he sees as beginning already with the approval at Town Meeting of an additional grounds crew staff member.
When asked by Selectmen Chair Bill Moonan to describe his vision of how this committee would function, Sukoff said that he sees more as an oversight group, rather than an advocacy group. This new committee, Sukoff believes, should be balanced in the direction of citizen membership, differing from the configuration of the Fields Partnership Committee which is largely comprised of Town staff.
“I do think it’s a committee where the interests are within [those of] the citizens who care about the conditions of the fields and will make sure [best practices] happen,” Sukoff explained. “We think that a citizen committee is likely to have a different approach. The staff [has] an important part— to implement [the decisions about what needs to be done] and [to] advise— but I think in terms of decision and oversight, it should be a citizen committee. In terms of results, a citizen committee is going to get done what needs to get done.”
ORASC colleague Jim Lespasio agreed with Sukoff’s analysis, saying that he envisions a “working committee” that would include Town staff members.
“We would hopefully get enthusiastic response and liaisons from the Recreation Department, from DPW [and from the School Committee] so that together we can communicate what the current needs are as well as what the future needs are,” Lespasio said. We can coordinate in advance and do some field planning, which hasn’t really happened up until this point. We can share information and all be on the same page, and we can avoid some of the issues that have brought disgruntled-ness from the citizens and sports enthusiasts over the years.”
“If you look at how ORASC came about, there was a perceived need for analysis [and clarification] and citizen volunteers got together and got it done,” Sukoff added. “[ORASC] also did a lot of the work in presenting the case to the Town for various committees and acted sort of as an arm of the Selectmen. The Selectmen are a citizen committee and [ORASC] served as an extension of the Selectmen to help them. I think this committee can do the same thing.”
Chair Moonan told Sukoff that the Selectmen would need time to absorb ORASC’s report and recommendations, and he then joined Selectman Mike Rosenberg in commending the group for its work.
“Thank you for your service, all of you,” Moonan said to the five ORASC members present. “I know it was long—and occasionally difficult. And I do thank you for the thought you put into this. We’ll take your recommendations under advisement.”
As an ad hoc committee, ORASC’s term of office expires at the end of June, and it is anticipated that the group will disband at that time.
An update on the Sabourin Field project pinpointed June 6, rather than June 3, as the date for synthetic turf installation to begin.
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