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The Board of Finance last night approved a $350,000 funding request for the construction of a softball field at town-owned property on Hoydens Lane at its monthly meeting. It was approved by a 6-1 vote.
Close to 50 players from Fairfield Little League Girls Softball were in attendance at the Board of Education offices along with their families, coaches and league officials.
While the league is one step closer to the field, this is not unfamiliar territory for it. We are very happy, but we are only half way there, said Scott Walker, a league official. Now we have to receive approval from the RTM, which will meet later this month. Last year we were in the same situation, we got unanimous approval from the finance board but did not pass the RTM.
The RTM will meet on June 28 to decide the field's fate. The field would be built on a 9.42 acre property purchased by the town in 2007 for $1.8 million.
Now we need to get the girls back out and drum up support, Walker added.
The issue was supposed to be voted on last month but the board asked Parks and Recreation to restructure its request. Director of Recreation Gerald Lombardo and Director of Public Works Richard J. White Jr. formed a plan to save money. Instead of using contractors, the public works department would do everything itself, saving an estimated $107,000.
The Board of Finance debated whether there were other locations for a softball field, but ultimately decided, based on Lombardos analysis, that this was the proper location. In addition, the board questioned whether it would be best for public works to delay other projects to support this one, but White said all of the projects that would postponed could be done at any time and this project would take at most five workers per day.
The Hoydens Lane project will also include a one-acre organic farm that would be a pilot program for one year to see if it works as a learning farm.
Lombardo said that while he did not meet with neighbors in the Hoyden Lane community, he believes the project will be done in their best interest. The field will be located in the center of the property and the traffic will be sporadic at best, according to Lombardo.
The project also has the unanimous support of the Board of Selectmen, Kenneth Flatto, James Walsh and Sherri Steeneck.
Walsh and Steeneck said that this as an equality issue because the boys little league has fully functional fields of there own, leaving the girls fighting for field space.
"If you do not approve this now, you can bet I'll be back before you asking for money for one of the boys fields to be turned into a girls field," Steeneck said.
Flatto said that field space has been a small part of capital spending over the past 10 years, making this a deserving project.
Not all Fairfield residents were pleased with the decision and some say they will continue to fight it.
"Obviously, we're very disappointed. We feel it's the wrong decision and sends the wrong message to the other elected bodies that have cut monies from the budget, including education and other worthy budgets," Kirk Manley, one of the more vocal opponents of the field, told Fairfield Patch after the meeting.
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