Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
3s <br /> f�fituchmer>-1. 4 <br /> Memorandum . <br /> To: John Link, County Manager <br /> From: David Stencil, ERC Director <br /> Bob Jones, Park Services Director <br /> Date: September 4, 2002 <br /> Re: Smith Middle School Playing Field <br /> This morning, we met with Carol Rosemond (Acting Recreation and Parks <br /> Director for the Town of Carrboro), and Dennis Joines (Assistant Director). The <br /> purpose of our meeting was to explore recent issues that have come up <br /> regarding the use and scheduling of the playing field available for Town/County <br /> use at this site. <br /> As you may recall, the Town, County, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and <br /> UNC entered into a Joint Use Agreement in February, 2001 regarding the use of <br /> playing fields at the new Smith Middle School (more-accurately, located adjacent <br /> to Chapel Hill High School - please see item #3 below). One such field, <br /> designated as "Field 3-b," is available for Town/County use after 4:00 p.m. on <br /> school days and on days when school is not in session, as per the Joint Use <br /> Agreement (Attachment A). This field was the subject of our conversation, and <br /> four main points were discussed: <br /> 1. Concern has recently been expressed to both County and Carrboro staff <br /> regarding use of Field 3-b by the Chapel Hill High School football team as <br /> a practice field. Concerns were raised that the football team, while <br /> practicing on Field 3-b, had damaged the field by practice on a recent <br /> rainy day, which occurred after 4:00 p.m. No activity had been scheduled <br /> by the Town or County for that date, but it was noted that the two playing <br /> fields at this site are not physically separated and that this may pose the <br /> potential for"spillover" activity on Field 3-b. <br /> 2. As per the Joint Use Agreement, the Town and County were to `work <br /> together to coordinate programming of the use of the fields when school is <br /> not in session," with the Town as `the lead entity for programming such <br /> use and communicating with the Board of Education regarding the same." <br /> Although County staff learned of Carrboro's plans to begin scheduling the <br /> field for use via a newspaper announcement, and scheduling has already <br /> taken place (within initial use as of today), the staffs agreed to <br /> communicate and coordinate more closely in the future on the use and <br /> scheduling of the field. In advertising the field's availability, the Town <br /> issued a public service announcement and contacted all known recreation <br /> groups by mail. Carrboro staff reports that, as of this date, Rainbow <br />