[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6509809,"mediaKeyId","5419618-e8bb6e8a60098536396ec8798452cb75","parentId",5419618,"title","Committee hears safety concerns about varsity baseball field; $87,000 turf replacement proposed","audioSeconds",402,"startMs",790000,"endMs",1192000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5419618-e8bb6e8a60098536396ec8798452cb75&start=790&end=1192","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5419618-e8bb6e8a60098536396ec8798452cb75/thumbnail_790000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6509809/Massachusetts/Committee-hears-safety-concerns-about-varsity-baseball-field-87000-turf-replacement-proposed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509809-102d446d4be7f6edf9058c19a3daa58b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447693&Signature=FeRDvh1kyQNRhTJlvp~CgkYSrKpgjjZqRLJWivqXk718MHjh~L4P~Uzd4YigYPy2A4kKVnccZ7GhQoDUQmRWk9UDdZtfkdbSbGfctXLVDnAa4xuH3tGK3pwjI3SJYOW5D3MXt3zqclFybxVHWuqxBZouv-bq4VeqqulHZHj-vQHiJHXc9jY6NhAnC7BlvUk1BnNpY1rVt~XEhtbbRJPD0M2f7zWgQ6VGDar~e4ltvzNRM~ytcA1ZVsL7EyNuNzdzgQxg2I-Rrefcd2bo9MgdeTZ6KYQS5sJG4iK15E1fIVJPpl~ljWMMqqqpyWzsgP1PY1Xsat5ElccwFfgU~U4T0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Walpole Public Schools, MA","date","2025-07-17T08:08:03.957Z","article","The Walpole Public Schools Building Committee heard a first‑read proposal to repair the varsity baseball field at the town field complex after committee member Mike said the infield has become unsafe and unplayable.

Mike told the committee the infield’s sand has degraded over decades and the grass has grown uneven, creating a lip that causes batted balls to jump unpredictably. “We had 2 kids get hit in the face with the ball,” Mike said, citing recent playoff games that the team played at an alternate site because of field conditions.

Mike said the school department and the Department of Public Works have been trading information and that a sports‑turf specialist provided a detailed quote for full infield work: remove the existing turf, rebuild and re‑grade the sand base and install new natural turf. The total price on the quote is $87,000. Mike said the vendor is a state‑contracted company and has worked on professional and collegiate facilities.

Committee members discussed timing and usage. The work is most effective in late summer into fall when seed germination and cooler, wetter weather favor turf establishment. Committee members noted the field is used not only for varsity baseball but also for PE classes and recess and that the field would be out of commission for a period while work proceeds.

When asked whether the work could be completed in time for spring athletics, Mike said the vendor indicated it could make the field playable by next spring but that he would confirm a schedule and the vendor’s timeline. The committee was told natural turf will require irrigation and care during the germination period; staff confirmed the field is irrigated.

Mike said he is presenting the estimate as a first read and is not asking for an immediate vote. He said he hopes the committee can consider using contingency funds because the $87,000 cost is large for the school department alone. One committee member reiterated a previously stated position against spending building funds on baseball fields.

The committee asked Mike to email the quote and specifications to staff for distribution before the August meeting, when members expect to take a vote.

No formal vote on the turf work was taken at the meeting; the item will return to the committee for consideration in August.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Building Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Committee member Mike reported the varsity baseball infield at the field complex is unsafe and that a state‑contract vendor quoted $87,000 to remove and replace turf. The committee treated the proposal as a first read and asked for specs to be distributed ahead of an August vote.","taxTitle","Walpole Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",71120,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6509813,"Walpole committee approves $9.9 million vendor invoice as middle‑school project nears closeout",695,83000,778000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5419618-e8bb6e8a60098536396ec8798452cb75&start=83&end=778","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5419618-e8bb6e8a60098536396ec8798452cb75/thumbnail_83000.jpg","/articles/6509813/Massachusetts/Walpole-committee-approves-99-million-vendor-invoice-as-middleschool-project-nears-closeout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509813-5b2c2b8bf036b26ded1ed595ac574fa9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447693&Signature=oK9-NakFREeqD4dlQtuxm98bChG-yQ-fxNblFgfW5IzuHJXXKo~wdSynL1WNtZzKSc9q6v0a6fd1vRRG-piVFs9jEfNKCFa997khm~n69Uk45Ap85E1CPvmdseTDts8hd0JKXSjYOk6c2NDBbSsWIEgBHJ4u4Cx5VIMHXGWXtTRGr829U86fKYWDhgbWB4HJMEymB6JHzPFPtu6~hIwdEi2-4hgMx~8ISyoIpmNj~IYLC8Ot0C3ffPtzMBp~vWyDjHFsi-DVsvz44XI1aHfrWzS74yd~m9CpA1UgQ76-deljNSoyO2U40ql8FBnOVTcGa4uApLg4L7VI1M8D8sbhBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Walpole Public Schools Building Committee voted to approve the vendor invoice package totaling $9,899,602 as work on the new middle school moves toward final closeout.

Committee members were told the construction contract is essentially complete and that contractors have closed the vast majority of punch‑list items. “Big picture…there are 3,208 punch list items that have been closed. So we are 98% complete with the punch list,” said Griffin, a representative for Fontaine, the project contractor.

The approval matters because the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has paid about 95% of the grant reimbursement to date and is holding the final reimbursement until the MSBA closeout audit is complete. “Whenever the final audit is done by the MSBA…typically, that’s been taking 2 to 3 years to get through the closeout phase,” Griffin said. Town finance staff confirmed the municipality built the unreimbursed final percentage into the project cash flow.

Committee members heard a contractor update on outstanding work. Committee and contractor staff said 31 items are ready to close and about 17 require work; roughly 10 remaining items relate to the building interior. Fontaine staff said five interior items remain, three of which they expect to document as complete after taking photos during Friday’s site visit; two are signage swaps scheduled for the following Tuesday. Additional outside‑site work (landscaping, fence fabric, backstops and scoreboards) depends on the town’s paving schedule.

Committee members asked whether paving performed by Lynch, the town’s paving contractor, will be finished before school opens. Patrick (town staff) said the middle‑school stretch is part of a larger municipal paving contract and that scheduling is coordinated through the engineering department; he added: “I think this committee is seeing it from the perspective as it relates to the middle school project, but it’s all part of the paving contract for the summer.” Fontaine staff confirmed some remaining site work will follow completion of the town’s paving.

Committee members also received a short report on equipment and finishes: a small number of FFE invoices, irrigation and a post‑occupancy verification invoice were included in the vendor package. Locker deliveries for the building are tracking for Aug. 29, Griffin said.

On the vote, the committee approved the vendor invoice package. The committee also approved the minutes of the previous meeting in a separate roll call.

Next steps listed by staff include completing the remaining punch‑list work, coordinating site paving with the town so outside work can finish, submitting the final vendor invoice to the MSBA pro‑pay system and entering the MSBA closeout phase for the final reimbursement. Fontaine and town staff said they expect most building interior items to be wrapped up within days to weeks and to close out site items by the end of the month if paving is finalized.

The committee moved on to other business and set its next regular meeting for Aug. 12.","The Walpole Public Schools building committee voted to approve a $9,899,602 vendor invoice package as the middle‑school construction nears completion. Contractors have closed most punch‑list items, but final state reimbursement is withheld until MSBA closeout, which can take years.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears safety concerns about varsity baseball field; $87,000 turf replacement proposed

Walpole committee approves $9.9 million vendor invoice as middle‑school project nears closeout