WOLFEBORO, N.H. — The Governor Wentworth Regional School District board on Jan. 6 agreed to schedule a public hearing to collect more information about replacing the artificial turf at the Kingswood complex, after board members and the buildings and maintenance committee raised questions about safety testing, infill disposal and recycling costs.

Buildings and maintenance committee members said the district's current turf is beyond its typical 10–12 year life expectancy and that the athletic director had reported student injuries and concerns about long-term safety. Committee members also asked for chemical analysis of the infill material and for vendor proposals that break out disposal or recycling costs.

At the Jan. 6 meeting the administration provided high-level information: the district's turf-field capital reserve contains roughly $800,000, and the superintendent cited an approximate replacement cost shortly under $775,000. The turf vendor contact in the meeting packet, a regional manager at Shaw Sports Turf, indicated the company could provide a proposal that separates installation and disposal costs; the administration committed to a vendor cost breakout and to arranging material testing.

After discussion, the buildings and maintenance committee requested that the full board schedule a public hearing that would include district staff, athletics staff and representatives from the Shaw Sports Turf vendor to present proposals and answer questions. The board voted in favor of holding that public hearing; the vote on the motion to schedule the hearing carried 5–3.

Why it matters

The turf-field decision involves large capital dollars, potential environmental considerations (material testing and disposal), and student-safety concerns. Public vetting is intended to surface testing results and vendor data (including cost estimates for recycling or landfill disposal) before the board authorizes use of capital-reserve funds for replacement or selects an alternate surface (sod or other options).

What the board asked for

The buildings and maintenance committee and board members asked the administration and athletic director to:

- obtain in-field material testing (including testing for PFAS or other “forever chemicals” if indicated by testing protocols);
- request vendor proposals that explicitly break out disposal/recycling costs and timelines, and to identify any facilities that accept the material for recycling; and
- present vendor representatives and test results at the scheduled public hearing.

Next steps

The board scheduled the public hearing for its Feb. 3, 2025 meeting so the public can hear vendor proposals and material-testing results and ask questions before any final decision to expend turf-reserve funds for replacement. The administration will seek testing results and ask vendors for a cost breakout for disposal or recycling of existing infill.