...it doesn't have to be a snowman

Woman skater with hockey stick on New Hope, PA section of Delaware Canal (Photo: Charlie Sahner)

Exclusive: New Hope-Solebury School Board to hold special meeting Oct. 7, backs off night game ban

(Photo: Dennis Manoogian)

By Charlie Sahner

The New Hope-Solebury School Board appeared to blink Thursday night.

According to an agenda issued Thursday evening, a proposal will be discussed and opened for discussion and possible vote under which “It is recommended that the Board of School Directors rescind the September 16, 2013 Board vote to turn off the lights at the current stadium field after the fall 2013/2014 sports season.”

A special public meeting of the New Hope-Solebury School Board to be be held on Monday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. at the NH-S High School theater regarding night games at stadium field had been confirmed by the NH-S superindent’s office Thursday morning.

The meeting is being held to address a growing community controversy first reported by the Free Press surrounding the New Hope-Solebury School Board’s approval of a surprise measure last month to ban nighttime games at stadium field after the fall season. The measure had neither been listed on the Sept. 16 meeting agenda nor advertised to the public.

The Oct. 7 agenda goes on to propose “that the Board of School Directors endorse the development of such an artificial turf, stadium field, at the field 13 location with the understanding that the costs of this project beyond architectural planning will be private funded.

“It is further recommended that the Board authorize the Administration to contract David Horn of Architerra Architects, at a cost not to exceed $14,460, to develop a plan for such a field, and a cost not to exceed $1,200 for reimbursable expenses,” the agenda goes on to say. “The plan will be inclusive of all necessary steps, infrastructure needs, regulatory and environmental analyses requirement procedures, and New Hope Borough permit requirement procedures as outlined in the Architerra proposal dated September 10, 2013.

“It is recommended that the Board of School Directors rescind the September 16, 2013 Board vote to turn off the lights at the current stadium field after the fall 2013/2014 sports season,” the agenda concludes.

The subject of New Hope-Solebury’s sports fields has been contentious in recent years, as the school district is under-served in terms of practice and event space, which in turn can exacerbate Title IX compliance issues that seek to provide equal access to facilities for boys and girls.

And several residents of the adjacent Riverstone Circle community have been very vocal on what they view as excessive light during night games, although those complaining to police also include residents and at least one business on West Bridge Street, Kiltie Drive and other nearby streets upset with sound levels, say law enforcement officials.

Canceling nighttime games would affect several sports teams at New Hope-Solebury because of the shortage of playing fields there and the necessity to reschedule numerous athletic events involving players, referees and athletic staff at other school districts.

Judy Finn, a local community activist who has organized a Facebook page to help overturn the School Board’s decision, said, “I’m thrilled and hopeful the board is doing their job in listening to the public, and look forward to hearing the rationale for their decision and to seeing the public formally present their opinions.”

(Update 6:30 p.m.)
Board of School Directors
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT
180 West Bridge Street New Hope, Pennsylvania
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING AGENDA
October 7, 2013 7:00 PM – District Office Conference Room
I.    CALL TO ORDER
II.    PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III.    ROLL CALL
IV.    OLD BUSINESS
Board Discussion
Public Discussion
Action Items Plant & Equipment
1.    It is recommended that the Board of School Directors approve the following Resolution regarding the endorsement of an artificial turf, stadium field at the Field 13 location and to contract with Architerra Architects as more specifically set forth in the Resolution:
V. Whereas, the school district’s current stadium field is the district’s only tier 1 field as designated by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the district has been diligently working with OCR to provide equitable use of that field as required by Title IX federal law; and
Whereas, the district’s 2010 campus master plan draft calls for an additional, artificial turf, stadium field to become the primary tier 1 stadium field and also designated field 13, near the UES, as the optimal campus location for lights and sound as well as an optimal solution to the shortage of athletic fields; and
Whereas significant community support has stepped forward to present clear intention to privately raise the funds for the new stadium field and voiced an initial commitment of over $360,000 to date with additional funds in the process of being confirmed,
Now, therefore, be it resolved:
It is recommended that the Board of School Directors endorse the development of such an artificial turf, stadium field, at the field 13 location with the understanding that the costs of this project beyond architectural planning will be private funded.
It is further recommended that the Board authorize the Administration to contract David Horn of Architerra Architects, at a cost not to exceed $14,460, to develop a plan for such a field, and a cost not to exceed $1,200 for reimbursable expenses. The plan will be inclusive of all necessary steps, infrastructure needs, regulatory and environmental analyses requirement procedures, and New Hope Borough permit requirement procedures as outlined in the Architerra proposal dated September 10, 2013.
It is recommended that the Board of School Directors rescind the September 16, 2013 Board vote to turn off the lights at the current stadium field after the fall 2013/2014 sports season.
ADJOURNMENT

New Hope-Solebury School Board bans night games

By Charlie Sahner

In a move that left many around New Hope and Solebury slack-jawed in disbelief, the New Hope-Solebury School Board voted on Monday to turn off the lights at stadium field after the fall season.

Board Member Alison Kingsley made the surprise motion, which had neither been listed on the agenda nor publicly advertised, and it was seconded by John Vaughn. Marleen Panzika, Valerie Mitchell, and Kurt Zander joined them in voting in favor of the motion. School Board President Amanda Elefante had left the room at the time of the vote, and Board Member Susan Atkinson represented the lone vote against the measure. Joseph Harraka and Jonathan Adar were not in attendance at the meeting.

The subject of New Hope-Solebury's sports fields has come up frequently in recent years, as the school district is under-served in terms of practice and event space, which in turn can exacerbate Title IX compliance issues that seek to provide equal access to facilities for boys and girls. Additionally, some nearby neighbors have complained about the level of light and sound associated with nighttime sports events. One plan to address these concerns involved building a stadium funded substantially by private donations in an area referred to as Field 13. Key advantages of Field 13 are its distance from neighboring residents and its excellent topography, say plan advocates.

It was that proposal to pursue a stadium at Field 13 that was under consideration on the night of Sept. 16. School officials had previously taken measures to placate neighbors, including limiting pregame music, cutting overall sound amplification levels in half, and shutting down field lights by 9:30 p.m. after each game. Nonetheless, the Board voted down the compromise plan, and then went a step further, effectively banning night games altogether starting in the spring.

Despite multiple attempts, as of press time, no member of the New Hope-Solebury School Board or its counsel had provided an explanation or rationale for their vote that night to this publication. Three individuals close to the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the School Board is not in receipt of any litigation by disgruntled neighbors.

Elefante, who did not vote, said in a statement, "My expectation was that the Board would take action on the resolution on the agenda with discussion on whether field #13 or field #12 would be selected. I had spent an hour on the phone that day with Dave Horne from [athletic facilities consultant group] Architerra reviewing the potential of this deliberation and ensuring that he came prepared for it.

"Over the past two years, I have facilitated discussions as Board President on issues around Field #2, but I have chosen to recuse myself from Board discussion, and from making any public comments, and have abstained on voting. Since I was serving as Board President, and I am also a neighbor, I felt it was the best decision," she added.

Board Member Joseph Harraka said he was "blindsided" by the vote, which he called an "unfortunate decision which I would have adamantly opposed."

"During the previous Board meeting we seemed to be heading toward striking middle ground and coming up with a win-win compromise. It's not just about sports games, it's about the sense of community spirit and the chance for working people to be part of that. This action will signal to the greater community that we're pandering to a limited contingent, and will undermine the confidence in and credibility of the Board. This action should have been undertaken through the normal course, including soliciting the commentary of the community," he continued.

Concluded Harraka, "I believe the decision is procedurally defective."

Peter Malamis, chairman of the New Hope-Solebury Education Fund said, "After all we've been through with this board, this eleventh-hour approach is disappointing, but not surprising. In fact, it's standard operating procedure and this kind of governance is why the incumbents running for re-election couldn't even make it out of the primary.

"There are a myriad of solutions to the concerns of a handful of neighbors that as a member of the task force that worked with them I know for a fact are acceptable to them -- solutions that don't negatively impact taxpayers, parents, and students like this one does. With all the pressing academic needs of our district, this is the last issue we should be spending time and money on. I look forward to the new board in December that knows better what our priorities should be and how to properly get things done," he added.

Raymond Boccuti, superintendent of schools for the New Hope-Solebury School District, commented, "We want to be the best neighbors we can. I'm also interested in whatever is best for the students, and we need more fields. What's nice is that members of the community are offering to help pay, so no one loses."


That is, of course, if the decision is reversed at the next School Board meeting scheduled for Oct. 21 and open to the public. Should the decision stand, the Athletic Department will be forced to undo a schedule that is approximately 75% complete to accommodate the ban on night games next spring, and the teenagers of New Hope and Solebury will have to find other ways to keep themselves occupied in the evening.

Running Uphill in 90-Degree Weather & Loving It!

Coach keeps a watchful eye on members of the New Hope - Solebury High School Soccer Team taking a break after a few sprints up steep Oscar Hammerstein Way in New Hope PA this morning.

Even by 11:00 a.m., temperatures and humidity were soaring in the Borough, but these spirited teens were undaunted, laughing, cheering and totally uber-stoked.

If I were playing for another soccer team, think I might take up another sport this fall.

Hussah!