Author: Rick Horner

In his first proposed budget, Stafford County’s newly-appointed School Administrator, Dr. Thomas Taylor, asks for $32 million in more funds than the division received last year.

[caption id="attachment_174613" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A view of the football field at Colonial Forge High School [Photo: Facebook][/caption]

Some Stafford County residents asked elected leaders to fund new artificial turf fields for two county high schools.

Citing disparity and safety concerns, residents say these two schools are last in the county, lacking such amenities.

A couple of residents took the opportunity to address the Stafford County Board of Supervisors during its public comment time earlier this month on the subject of artificial turf fields at local high schools.

According to Carol Leicher, a volunteer coach for the North Stafford Field Hockey team, the team had to hold practice on grass fields while many of the schools in the county have artificial turf fields on the school grounds.

Leicher also named Colonial Forge High School as the only other high school in the area without a turf field; the volunteer coach cited that Colonial Forge had to rent a turf field from the nearby Embrey Mill community to practice.

Mountain View, Stafford Senior, and Brooke Point, the other high schools in the county, all have artificial turf fields.

Leicher also recounted being told that North Stafford would soon get a turf field only to be told at the end of 2021 that the installation of the field had been moved to 2024. According to Leicher, this would be 10 years since the county started installing artificial turf fields.

"This is a parity issue of not being afforded the same competition turf fields that exist in three of our county schools. Our kids are being short-changed," said Leicher to the board.

Leicher also noted that turf fields are the expected type for outdoor sports teams and are required for state-level competitions. The coach complimented her team for adapting to different types of playing fields but that it shouldn't be a necessity.

Resident Margaret Lowery from the Rock Hill District joined Leicher, who also called for funding artificial turf fields for the two high schools.

Lowery noted that both Colonial Forge and North Stafford are spending $20,000 to maintain the grass fields. This includes the cost of preparation, seeding, and maintenance of the area. It is an expense that the other schools do not have and can use the funds to upgrade their athletic equipment.

Lowery confirmed Leicher's report about Colonial Forge having to rent the field at Embrey Mill and spending $25,000 for the field hockey team to practice.

Both residents asked that the board and the county school system work together to find the funds to install the artificial turf in those schools.

Stafford County Public School's Director of Public and Community Relations Sandra Osborn confirmed to Potomac Local News that plans for the two high schools are in the school's Capital Improvement Plans for 2024, but they have not been funded.

According to the school division's capital improvement plan, installing an artificial turf field at North Stafford High School is scheduled for Fiscal Year 2023. It is estimated to cost $1.5 million.

Colonial Forge High School is scheduled to have maintenance performed on their athletic fields in FY 2026 and 2027, estimated to cost $500,000.

Colonial Forge High School is not scheduled to get an artificial turf field in the 2018-2027 timeframe of the school CIP.