Kaurene Salts was one of many Fairfield residents who returned to polls Thursday to vote on whether the town should spend $350,000 for a softball field on Hoyden's Hill Lane. Salts, who brought her son Patrick to Fairfield Ludlowe High School, the District 9 polling center, voted for the field.
"It was a neighborhood movement. Conversations with neighbors convinced me to vote for the field," Salts said. "And anytime you have a chance to vote, you need to take it."
For the referendum to pass, at least 25 percent of the town's registered voters must cast ballots against the funding. With more than 30,000 voters in town, it would take more than 8,000 "no" votes for the funding measure to be repealed. Money for the field has been approved by the RTM, Board of Finance and Board of Selectmen.
Election officials said late in the afternoon that turnout had been slow. At Fairfield Ludlowe, official Frank Greco said most most of the voters were seniors. But he said that could change before polls close at 8 p.m.
"Since the polls didn't open until noon, commuters weren't able to vote before work, so they would have to vote later in the day," Greco said.
The referendum was forced by Fairfielders opposed to spending to bond the field when the economy is forcing cutbacks for teachers, town workers and schools. Opponents also do not want open space to be eliminated. Supporters feel it's an equality issue and that girls deserve a dedicated field. The field would cost each taxpayer 92.5 cents per year over the next 15 years, according to Chief Fiscal Officer Paul Hiller.
The ball field would include infrastructure -- bathrooms, a larger parking lot and the basic essentials of a park -- that also would be used by a neighboring driving range. The field is set to be built on a portion of nine acres of open space at 520 Hoyden's Hill Lane.
Polls remain open until 8 p.m. Visit the town's website to see where to vote.
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