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Residents and board press for independent review of Tommy Roberts field after drainage, compaction complaints
Summary
A resident described chronic drainage and compaction problems at Tommy Roberts field and called for resodding or turf; board members asked for site visits, an independent evaluation and a workshop to address Ajax contractor performance.
A longtime coach and resident told the Monroe County School Board that Tommy Roberts athletic field is in poor condition and urged the district to regrade, resod and install drainage or consider artificial turf.
Ralph Enriquez, who identified himself from 3613 Northside Court, told the board that recent rainfall of about 1.5 inches resulted in six lost practice days and that visiting soccer and turf professionals found the field “poorly graded” and “hard as concrete.” He said the sod “has little to no root system” and that a 50-50 sand mix used during construction had “greatly backfired.”
The complaint came during the board’s citizen input period and prompted sustained discussion among board members and staff. Chair Khan and several members agreed to schedule a standalone workshop in Key West to gather community input and to inspect the field in advance. Superintendent staff said they would arrange site visits for board members accompanied by coaches or school administrators and secure an independent professional evaluation before the workshop.
Board members also linked the field concerns to ongoing dissatisfaction with a contractor identified in the meeting as Ajax. Some members said they planned to withhold future work from that contractor until outstanding issues at Tommy Roberts are addressed; others warned against withholding unrelated projects from schools waiting for marquee or signage replacements. The board directed staff to arrange a workshop (to be noticed separately) focused on the field condition and Ajax’s relationship with the district and to provide dates for site visits and for obtaining an independent report.
District staff told the board the cost of an independent initial evaluation would be below the superintendent’s spending threshold and could be completed within a few weeks so results could be distributed ahead of the workshop. Staff said they would request an independent assessment that identifies whether there is a grading or drainage problem, why it is occurring and what remedies would be needed. Ajax and other contractors would be invited to respond to the independent evaluation when the workshop occurs.
The discussion also included an encouragement that board members personally visit Tommy Roberts before the workshop so they can observe the issues firsthand. No formal policy change or payment withholding was adopted at the meeting; the board set the next step as arranging visits, obtaining the independent evaluation and holding a noticed workshop where the matter will be discussed publicly.
Ending: The board asked staff to schedule the field visits and to commission a professional evaluation; a workshop in Key West will be set to consider the independent report and to hear community input and contractor responses.
