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Board weighs locking turf fields after e-bike use, vandalism and waste raise safety concerns
Summary
Board members and the public discussed locking access to turf fields (Haas and Cougar) to limit damage from e-bikes, trash and other after-hours misuse; the board expressed no formal objections and staff said custodial routines could accommodate locks and unlocking, while police outreach and education on e-bike rules was proposed.
Board members and members of the public on Aug. 25 raised safety and preservation concerns about the district’s artificial turf fields and discussed restricting public after-hours access to reduce damage.
The discussion focused on two fields identified in the meeting as Haas (often used by girls’ teams) and Cougar. A board member said the turf fields have been subject to trash, broken glass, animal waste, e-bike use and at least one instance of intentional fire-setting; another board member estimated replacement costs for a turf field at about $1.5 million each.
Board members asked whether locking the turf after dark or when school teams finish practice would be feasible. Administration responded that custodial staff and maintenance could lock and unlock gates as part of normal procedures and that unlocked access in the mornings could be accommodated so school activities and recess are not disrupted. When the chair asked if there were objections to preserving Haas field by locking it, no board members objected.
Public comment included concerns about e-bikes. Councilman Justin Strickland (Chatham Borough) said parents and community members may not be aware of e-bike classifications and the legal requirements that can attach to higher-speed models. He offered to work with the Chatham Borough Police Department to help educate parents at school open houses and noted police can provide information about licensing, registration and age limits for different classes of e-bikes.
A resident urged the district to consider cameras near fields to discourage illegal activity; board members and administration did not adopt a formal camera policy during the meeting but said they could pursue options and coordinate with police. Administration said prior police outreach had included in-person checks at school arrival to identify high-speed e-bikes and that the district can request similar outreach this year.
There was no formal binding policy change or roll-call vote recorded on locking fields during the meeting; board remarks and administrative comments indicated agreement to explore locking as a practical measure to protect expensive turf surfaces and to coordinate with police about enforcement and education.
Next steps discussed included coordinating with custodial staff to implement locking/unlocking procedures where possible and working with police for outreach and possible enforcement related to e-bike use on school property.
