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Public and consultants press Brighton board to act after soil concerns delay turf plan
Summary
At a June 9 Brighton CSD meeting a coach urged the board to proceed with turf fields; SEI consultants outlined three options, recommended a two‑foot soil cover and community air monitoring, and provided rough cost estimates for each option.
At a June 9 Brighton Central School District Board of Education meeting, a longtime coach urged the board to move forward on a previously approved turf project, and SEI consultants presented three options for athletic‑field construction in response to problematic soil conditions and state environmental guidance.
Adam Hiller, who identified himself as the boys varsity soccer head coach and a Brighton alumnus, told the board the turf would “greatly benefit our programs and increased participation,” arguing that additional turf would allow teams to practice year‑round, reduce scheduling bottlenecks and improve player safety. Hiller said delays threaten preparation for the spring 2027 season if the project is not advanced.
SEI representatives Brian Zalinski and David Hallmark described an interim site management plan (ISMP) developed with input from DEC, the state Department of Health and a soil‑consultant team. Zalinski said the recommended cover system includes a demarcation barrier and “a two‑foot cover over the existing soils” to reduce disturbance and help manage long‑term site risk. Presenters also recommended community air monitoring during construction, third‑party soil testing and supervised soil handling.
The consultants presented three options: the original raised‑and‑turf design (option one), a scaled‑back turf overlay (option two), and a grass‑only approach (option three). They provided ballpark construction impacts: option one was described as adding about $1 million to costs, option two roughly $250,000, and option three reducing the projected cost by about $500,000 compared with the initial estimate. The presenters cautioned these are preliminary estimates tied to a still‑evolving management plan.
Administration said public feedback will be accepted via a QR code and online form through the end of day Tuesday, June 16; the board will consider that input together with final ISMP language, DEC and Department of Health guidance and other technical data before any final decision.
Next steps: the board expects to receive the remaining technical reports and public comment summaries before scheduling a decision. No final construction vote was taken at the June 9 meeting.
