Resident says blanket weekend turf reservations lock out other groups

Alex Hayes, an Oakhurst resident, told the Township of Ocean School District board during public comment on May 20 that recurring, multi-month weekend reservations by the Ocean United Soccer Association effectively block other groups from using district turf fields.

"It seems to all my messages or not messages, public comments and, questions fall on deaf ears anyway," Hayes said, then described what he called "a blanket Saturday and Sunday, 9AM to 6PM for literally every single weekend between September and ... March" for the turf field. He said a similar pattern appeared for the high school field and called it "ludicrous" that a single organization could reserve so much weekend time "when there is no way ever they use those fields between 9AM and 6PM." He urged the district to review facility scheduling and to consider charging higher rental fees rather than effectively giving away large swaths of time.

Board President Hastings and staff did not announce any immediate action in response to Hayes' comment during the meeting. Miss Conway confirmed Hayes' comment was on the public record; no vote or directive to staff was recorded in the meeting minutes. The public comment period at the work session is governed by a five-minute limit per speaker.

The board's agenda later included discussion of facilities planning and summer projects but did not, in the session's public portion, resolve or amend field scheduling policies. No formal motion or vote addressing facility rentals was recorded in the transcript of this meeting.