On Monday night the school committee voted to approve phase one of an ambitious three-phase project at the regional high school which includes at least one artificial turf field. While I know the men — from MV@Play who are the movers of this project — have been working for several months on it, this was only the second public forum.

Numerous serious concerns were raised about the health and environmental impacts of the plastics. While definitive studies are ongoing, there is enough cause for concern that many community members attended Monday night’s meeting. Several hundred people signed a petition on MoveOn.org asking that further research and review take place before voting occurred and expressing support for natural grass fields.

At the outset of the meeting it was stated that because several key pieces of information were missing — including unresolved legal issues, maintenance and replacement costs, liability insurance, environmental impact on the aquifer from both the turf and cleaning solutions for sanitizing it and health concerns for the athletes —no vote would take place until the next meeting on June 5.

For three hours people on both sides of the issue spoke. It was clear that MV@Play would not entertain the idea of giving natural turf a try. It was artificial turf or nothing. Many of us, myself included, were struck by the fact that the school has not maintained the natural fields other than mowing. Therefore we don’t know if natural grass properly cared for is a viable option. Instead, in spite of missing financial and legal information, health risks and environmental questions, a member of the school committee put forth a motion that the vote occur. Robert Lionette succinctly expressed that since so much information had come forth the vote should be held on June 5. Unfortunately, he was outvoted and a vote approving phase one occurred.

Those of us who raised concerns were told we had been heard. The truth is we were not heard. The public forums were a sham — the school committee and school administrators pushed their agenda through without due diligence. Shame on them. The voices of reason in Robert Lionette and Theresa Manning were silenced by the rest of the committee.

Sadly the take away from this experience is that big money and loud voices win. In the long run the children, the environment and democratic process loses. It feels like the national politics of vitriol have reached our shores. And that may be the biggest tragedy of all.

Susan Desmarais
Oak Bluffs