Residents raise health, liability concerns about proposed artificial turf field at Burrillville meeting

At the Burrillville Town Council meeting on May 14, 2025, public commenters expressed concern about health and environmental risks they associate with proposed artificial turf for a town athletic field and questioned whether a proposed $6.2 million bond package should have been placed before voters.

Melissa Novicki (identified in the record as Miss Novicki) spoke during the public-comment period and told the council she is worried about “PFAS” and other toxins she said can leach from synthetic turf. Novicki said she is concerned about additional hazards she listed as MRSA, burns, respiratory issues and latex allergies, and asked whether the town would disclose whether the turf contains latex. She said she has repeatedly written letters and would advise council members and their families to seek independent legal counsel if health problems later arise, adding, “You’ve all been warned.”

Another resident, who identified herself as Lisa, questioned the council’s public timeline describing 40 meetings and said committee members and facility staff told her they were not aware the planned playing surface would be artificial turf. She also asserted that abatement work and permitting led to planning being “circumvented,” a claim the council did not adjudicate during public comment.

Council President Chair Casteel reminded speakers that the meeting included a discussion of a $6,200,000 bond issue on the agenda and limited public comments to two minutes so residents could address that topic during the regular agenda discussion if they wished. Several speakers said they intended to speak again when that agenda item was considered.

The comments at the May 14 meeting are part of an ongoing public debate in Burrillville about the field project. At the meeting, residents asked for more public disclosure about health risks, material composition (including whether latex is present), and details on who was consulted during earlier planning and committee discussions. The council did not adopt any new policy or take action on the turf during the public-comment period; councilors directed speakers who sought administrative follow-up to contact the town manager’s office and to raise detailed questions when the relevant agenda item was considered later in the meeting.

Ending: Residents who raised concerns said they will continue monitoring the agenda and appear again when the bond and field items are discussed; council staff directed people to the town manager and clerk for follow-up and records requests.