Ridgewood Fields Committee Minutes October 3, 2023 – 7:00 am via ZOOM

Attendees: K. Cook, N. Bigos, M. Andreula, S. Winograd, S. Gross, H. Kwak, R. Brooks, E. Seavers, G. D’Andrea, E. Sudol,

Z. Pace, P. Thomas, C. Aderhold, B. Sacks, K. Kazmark, S. Muller, C. Herndon, CCH, 917-592-1016, P. Coopersmith, S. Penava, M. Schwartz, P. Vagianos, S. Strohmenger, M. Kelly, D.ElNabli, Annea, R. Laskey, C. O’Keefe, M. Carmody, A. Mamudi, M. Lembo, J. Gluck, M. Hefferan

I.                        Approval of Minutes – September 12, 2023

Approved by all

II.                        Public Comment

K. Cook-Public comment will last for forty minutes and if necessary will have additional comments at the end of the meeting.

B.  Sacks-50 N. Irving St., - Has concerns about the hours of play being extended at Steven’s Field. Having people on the field and the lights on sometimes until 10 to 10:30 pm. Field policy states that play does not start until 8 am on weekends but teams arrive before that time. Please consider this with any policy decisions.

C.  Fitzgerald-43 N. Irving St. – Lives adjacent to Stevens Field since 1985. In 2008, the Board of Education added turf and lights. Having additional evenings with the lights on until 10:30 disturbs the peace of the neighboring properties. Unable to use outdoor spaces due to the noise starting before 8am and continues until after 10 pm. This weekend after the flood that made the fields unplayable, it was nice and quiet just like old times. Asking that the Fields Committee consider these concerns.

K. Cook- One of the policy items we are looking to revise are the amount of evenings that lights will be allowed on Stevens and Stadium Fields. Committee will consider this.

Ms. Hope-Thank you to everyone who has helped to get the fields back and ready for use. She is concerned because of the cancellation of Super Soccer Saturday and Senior Days at the High School. Asking if money has been allocated for repair/remediation of fields. Years ago all sports groups were brought together and a portion of the fees charged were to be put into a fund and allocated for grass field improvement. She is asking for a committee to be created to help with grass field improvement specifically.

K. Cook- Progress has been made and we are moving to improve the field conditions. We are meeting about acquiring resources and it will take time to improve field conditions.

S. Winograd-Last spring Orchard and Hawes were the two fields that were complained about the most. Administration met with the County about the bridge located by the RHS scoreboard on Ridgewood Avenue it is county owned and slated for redevelopment. This is an opportunity to look at this area as a whole. Will continue to meet with the state, county and local BOE on this issue.

S. Penava-Devastated that Super Soccer Saturday was cancelled because of flooding. It is the largest fundraiser and raises between 30 and 40 thousand dollars. This money is used to pay the coaches salaries. Appreciates that grass fields are being readied for practice and play. Would like to see the grass fields tended to in more detail in the future, we have had injuries due to the grass field conditions.

K. Cook- Met with Tri County Landscaping about addressing the pitch of the fields and doing work on the fields this winter by putting down field blankets. Looking to improve all field conditions, a process will take time.

D. Steinbaum-Flooding is a chronic problem due to climate change. Would love to hear how VOR/BOE will be dealing with in the future. Look for funding through FEMA. Secondly, would like to ask that more information be available to residents about field conditions. Thirdly, would like more information about field scheduling, who and when people are on the fields there has been some confusion with multiple groups showing up at the same time.

C. O’Keefe, 542 w. Saddle River Road-As a resident in the Schedler neighborhood. She is concerned about safety on the roads, impact of turf run off on wells and lights on the field.

S. Winograd- There is no one easy solution; she feels the addition of Schedler in turf form will help the community field inventory as a whole. If Schedler had been built, it would have been used for Super Soccer Saturday. Schedler is not a Board of Ed property. With respect to funding, it is a public park that anyone is welcome to use. There are no plans for lights at Schedler.

H. Kwak-Should Schedler be built will it be part of the Master Library Schedule?

S. Winograd-Yes, Village fields will include Schedler and will be added to Master Library. Requirements will include; forms, ID, insurance same as the BOE.

A. Finston, 150 Brookside-Concerned about fields being used before 8 am and staying after 9pm. would like to have additional fields and would like to be part of the group that will help with fundraising. Creating a transparent system for field use is important. The quality of fields is very important specifically grass.

K. Cook- Damian and Artan are in charge of the BOE fields. Progress has been made. The problem that we run into is during the week schools are using the fields for Physical Education classes and recess. Maintenance has a very delicate timeline to make improvements. Trying to get all the fields prepped in the fall so they can be ready for spring.

S. Winograd-Should we put together a subcommittee to look into additional funding and application for grants?

K. Cook- That would be a worthwhile venture.

S. Winograd- Everyone on this call please reach out to Keith or myself if you are interested.

P. Vagianos- Would like to thank all for the time and effort put into getting the fields up and running.

M. Schwartz-I commend the effort made to mitigate the effect of the flood. District goal is to collaborate with the Village to have a long-term solution to make fields available and safe for children. We are assessing the finances and what funds will be allocated to fields. Will collaborate to assess needs and put folks together to get funding.

K. Kazmark-Thanks everyone for moving equipment before the flood and being available during and after the flood. Met with the county administrator and engineer to discuss fixing the bridge at Ridgewood Avenue to increase flow. Contacting the Army Corps of Engineers, it is a long process to get the problem studied, get funding and then mitigate the flooding problem

III.                        2023 Field Schedule

K. Cook-Updates cannot be made long term at this time. BOE will work on getting schedules made through October 14-15 at this time.

M. Andreula-September 25^th broadleaf spraying was rained out, we will forgo the application this fall. Parks will be putting down grass seed earlier than usual, hoping to improve grass conditions.

IV.                        Field Policy Revision Review

K. Cook- Out of season accessibility will table for now until a subcommittee can meet.

N. Bigos- Would like to look into the policy and sit with the subcommittee in November or December and have a solid policy to show the committee and then have a vote.

H.Kwak-Who is on the subcommittee?

N. Bigos-Ed Seavers, Keith Cook, Rich Brooks and myself.

H.Kwak-When changes are made can they be in a different color?

R. Brooks- Question to K. Kazmark one of the challenges for the Field Policy whatever we put down on paper, who can and cannot use the fields at any given time. If we have someone who is on the field that does not have a permit and does not fit any of the criteria defined by the field policy and they have to leave. We have no way of enforcing the policy to anyone who is not a part of the Fields Committee. How do we get the outside community to follow the policy? When someone is found using the field illegally by running a clinic with no permit, has not paid the fee for field use or submitted liability insurance naming the BOE and Village of

Ridgewood as additional insured and Parks and Recreation staff call the police they are told they can’t do anything.

N. Bigos- Reaching out to the NJRPA to see what ordinances that other towns use and format our own plans for policy and fees.

K. Kazmark- Huge liabilities when you have for profit groups using our facilities and someone is injured. We cannot have outside groups especially for profit, groups coming in and using our fields without any type of fee, permission. We will need a reporting process to the Police Department and instruct them on how to react to those situations. We need to put together a formal process with the Police Department. Nancy and I will meet with Chief Lyons to formulate a process to help with policing the fields. The schedule will have to be shared with the police.