A group of Barrington residents are planning to vote against the school department budget at tonight’s FTM unless the Barrington School Committee reverses its plans to install an artificial turf playing surface at Victory Field.

In a letter to the editor in mid-May, five Barrington residents wrote that they had all been strong supporters of Barrington Schools in the past, but would vote no on the school budget at the financial town meeting unless the committee changes its plans for Victory Field. 

Construction equipment has been posted just outside Victory Field and the track in preparation for the project. The staging area — located near the Lincoln Avenue end of the field — includes large concrete forms. Backhoes have already started clearing some of the property.

The group of residents opposing the installation of artificial turf at Victory Field includes Andrew Reich, Marc Tatar, Kate Weymouth, Jessica Allen and Nancy Hill. In their recent letter, the residents wrote that they had sent multiple emails to the school committee requesting “that any contract require independent testing of the material to ensure it is PFAS-free (as promised by the school committee), and 2) asking for a financial analysis of the turf project, including maintenance and replacement costs in case of storm damage.” 

The group also asked the school committee to act with complete transparency, “make all information regarding the contract public, and create a page on its website disclosing efforts to ensure the turf field would be PFAS-free.”

“The school committee did not respond to any of these emails and did not take any of the requested actions,” Reich, Tatar, Weymouth, Hill and Allen wrote in their letter. “No independent testing, no financial analysis, and no information posted on their website.”

Motions filed

Four residents have submitted motions to amend the town’s budget — the motions call for money to be added to the Barrington School Department budget increase. The motions range from a $70,000 increase to a $534,000 increase.

Barrington taxpayers will vote on the proposed motions at the Barrington Financial Town Meeting.

Tom Rimoshytus submitted a motion to cut the Capital Reserve Account for Affordable Housing Assistance “in its entirety” and place the money from that account, $502,003, into “the bottom line of the school budget.”

Kate Berard, a member of the Barrington Town Council, submitted a motion to increase the school operating budget by $500,000 to replace the loss of state aid to the schools.  

Doreen Lindenberg, a teacher at Barrington High School, filed a motion to increase the school operating budget by $534,000. 

Eleanor Donato, a student at the high school, filed a motion to increase the school budget by $70,000 to cover the salary and benefits for a high school art teacher “who would otherwise be laid off due to a decrease in the school budget…”