New turf field vandalized

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=893&sid=3440223

whoever did this deserves an ass kicking and should be held financially responsible.

No problem.......FFX County will just jack up our taxes somehow to pay for this because some punk ass kids who were BORED!!!!! Mommy or daddy probably took their precious BMW away and they revolted!!!

Jerks don't do this sort of thing and then not tell anyone. They'll get caught, and they should be held responsible for fixing it.

The people who paid for this can pay to have it fixed.

I'd like to see a top to bottom audit of this whole turf thing.

Those kids make me want to puke-just wait until they graduate and can't get in anywhere except Nova and have to work at Wendy's.

Science books? What good is science?

From the posts here on this very website show that this was most likely some adults who did this.

Now I suppose we'll have to hire full time security to guard the football fields.

Let me guess, they spray painted penises on the field and the word n!gger.

Let Allah sort it out

Turf supporters might have done it too-to raise support for a rapidly collapsing cause.

The "estimates" to fix the turf ought to be VERY interesting.

Everyone remember:

These turf fields are MAINTENANCE FREE.

These turf fields SAVE US MONEY.

Look in the mirror while you are repeating these words.

Soon you will be under a spell and you will believe it too.

With all the yuppies and riches in Reston it probably only take about 20 donors and the fields will be better than new.

Probably some other high school like Oakton or Herndon that can't afford the fields and are jealous.

If spray paint broke it, then spray paint can fix it.

This is what happens when you put nice amenities in the shitty sections.

Something tells me spray paint creates an irreversible chemical reaction with the sacred turf.

Something tells me paint remover would make the problem even worse.

Something tells me Acme Turf Repair is going say replacement is the only way to go, and, while they're at it, they'll make a pitch for Acme Turf Shield.

Maintenance free? If you believe that you believe that Ryan McElveen has a real job and that Tammy Kaufax operates a successful marketing company.

Any board of supervisors member voting for this project will be looking for another position after the next election.

Of course, if Karen Garza had any respect for science, she might have an appreciation for the chemistry of plastics. As it is, science is just something that keeps kids out of practices.

I can't wait till they argue over who pays for it.....


Bryan, Texas: Vandal causes $150,000 of damage to artificial turf field. According to a news item on KBTX (Bryan/College Station, Texas) (4 September 2012), a vandal driving a vehicle entered “the recently installed synthetic field at Bryan’s Rudder High School and causing nearly 150-thousand dollars worth of damage” to the football field.” Source: KBTX staff, “Synthetic Turf Vandal Caught on Camera,” on KBTX.com, 4 September 2012,


Penn Hills, Pennsylvania: Vandals cause $40,000 in damages to artificial turf field. According to a news report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (30 August 2012), some time between Saturday night and Sunday morning [26 August 2012] vandals drove golf carts over the turf, ripping the seams as they went, causing up to $40,000 in damage to the field. Source: “Vandals cause up to $40,000 in damage to new Penn Hills High football field,” in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 30 August 2012,

Beatrice, Nebraska: Vandals sow trouble. According to various news accounts, on 20 May 2013, the coaches at Beatrice High School discovered that some 100 pounds of bird seed had been spread on the school’s artificial turf field. To accomplish the feat, the vandals had to scale a 60-foot outer fence and a 4-foot inner fence. According to the activities director, some seed was vacuumed up, but much of it got into the fibers of the turf that it could not be removed without pulling up the crumb rubber infill; so the school may have to replace the crumb rubber infill. The five vandals, who turned themselves in to police, stated that they dumped the birdseed because they thought it would be funny to see birds covering the field. Source: The Associated Press, “Update: Teens Cited For Vandalizing Beatrice Football Field,” on WOWT, 29 May 2013,

Seal One Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With all the yuppies and riches in Reston it
> probably only take about 20 donors and the fields
> will be better than new.
>
> Probably some other high school like Oakton or
> Herndon that can't afford the fields and are
> jealous.
>
> If spray paint broke it, then spray paint can fix
> it.


You, sir, haven't been paying attention. Haven't you heard?

EVERY FCPS is getting one of these toys. Couldn't be about jealousy.

It is also possible some of the students understand that science is more important than turf...

Within a week or so, I predict the following announcement:

Given the recent acts of vandalism at some of our turf fields, Fairfax County will be installing high tech surveillance cameras at our sites to deter any other such acts.

These cameras will cost a gazillion dollars.

Thanks, as always, for being such a sucker.

If BIRDSEED of all things can destroy turf fields, some clever person will build a trebuchet outside the range of the cameras and toss in a few bags of birdseed.

Clueless observers will think it is a science project or Riders of Brohan stunt.

Tammy Kaufax will get a suit of armor and a broadsword.

I'm not a turf supporter by any means but I don't see why everyone is so pissed off about these. Artificial turf fields have been in mainstream use for 40 years.

I bet when the grass fields get worn out, you bitch about that too. "Second richest county in VA and we can afford nice fields for our kids to play on!"

I assume insurance will cover the damages.

I wager the police will have this wrapped up before Friday. The idiots who did this probably already bragged about it on Facebook or to their friends. The parents of these miscreants will blame the schools for not doing a better job of raising their kids.

People such as myself are not so much opposed to the idea of turf but rather to the fact that the school board has its head up its ass when it comes to priorities and funding.

The school board had a "turf task force" and they produced a report full of real nonsense. Not only that but there was no public comment period as is standard.

Then, in a work session, the schools decided they did not need new science books. A little while later, they realized the money they would have spent on the science books could be spent on turf.

But it still was not enough. They asked the County for more money.

The school board neglected maintenance costs in their report, which also recommended awarding the turf contract to Field Turf USA. The name of the company is misleading as it is part of Tarkett, a French company.

In these tight budget times, turf is a nice to have not a necessity. It is not clear why Ryan McElveen, Patty Reed, and Tammy Kaufax are trying to sneak this through.

I dont think a natural turf field can stand up to the use the artificial gets. I see the soccer field off Braddock rd and it seems to be in constant use. I doubt a natural turf field could be used to the extent the artificial ones are.

It is not clear why Ryan McElveen, Patty Reed, and Tammy Kaufax are trying to sneak this through.


Look, the vote was 11-1-with that idiot Kathy Smith actually opposing it. You can hardly single any one member out.

The author and only task force member from The SB was Megan Mclaughlin. She deserves more blame than anyone else.

figures please Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The people who paid for this can pay to have it
> fixed.
>
> I'd like to see a top to bottom audit of this
> whole turf thing.
>
> Those kids make me want to puke-just wait until
> they graduate and can't get in anywhere except
> Nova and have to work at Wendy's.
>
> Science books? What good is science?


This is South Lakes we're talking about, the fact they'll graduate is a miracle.

Ryan McElveen = Sneak and Freak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In these tight budget times, turf is a nice to
> have not a necessity. It is not clear why Ryan
> McElveen, Patty Reed, and Tammy Kaufax are trying
> to sneak this through.

Are budget times tight right now? That argument sounded great in 2009. It doesn't hold water today.

A few years back a Chantiily kid spray painted a smiley face on his school.

He was kicked out of school, threatened with expulsion and ended up missing six months of school during his appeal.

I can only imagine what the Nazis will do to these kids.

Probably an expulsion given the dollar amount of the damage--I predict $50k to fix the fields, if not $100k.

They will get shipped off to the alternative schools where the graduation rate is about 35%.

Things will not be pretty for them. I'm not saying they didn't screw up, but do we need to ruin their lives over this?

Preed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ryan McElveen = Sneak and Freak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > In these tight budget times, turf is a nice to
> > have not a necessity. It is not clear why Ryan
> > McElveen, Patty Reed, and Tammy Kaufax are
> trying
> > to sneak this through.
>
> Are budget times tight right now? That argument
> sounded great in 2009. It doesn't hold water
> today.


I hope you are being sarcastic with this question?

FCPS projects a budget deficit of $190 million for 2015.

$190,000,000

This was posted on Reston Patch:

I'm wondering why this made the Patch news when similar vandalism to the Herndon football field, track, and storage buildings the week before was, apparently, not reported anywhere. "South Lakes Class of 2014" and other words were reportedly sprayed on the field, and a KKK-like, hooded character and hanging man were spray painted on a storage shed at the entrance to the field. As immature and distressing as damage to the new field, the prepatrators were likely reacting to the damage to the HHS property. There is a long-standing rivalry between the schools. Again, while both acts are reprehensible, I am distressed that publicity is given to the vandalism at SLHS, but no reports (that I can find anywhere) about the HHS damage.

read the budget document Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Preed Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ryan McElveen = Sneak and Freak Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > In these tight budget times, turf is a nice
> to
> > > have not a necessity. It is not clear why
> Ryan
> > > McElveen, Patty Reed, and Tammy Kaufax are
> > trying
> > > to sneak this through.
> >
> > Are budget times tight right now? That argument
> > sounded great in 2009. It doesn't hold water
> > today.
>
>
> I hope you are being sarcastic with this
> question?
>
> FCPS projects a budget deficit of $190 million for
> 2015.
>
> $190,000,000

Ooooh that's a scary-big number. To put it in context, their operating budget is
$2,500,000,000

Ryon McElveen, who is making a career out of high school, has gushed endlessly about how these damn turf fields benefit every single Fairfax resident. They don't benefit me, not at all.

Tammy Kaufax is as dumb as a bag of rocks, she'll endorse anything.

Patty Reed claims not to have seen the study, but thought the fields were a good idea anyway.

The whole school board and board of supervisors should be thrown out of office.

http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20130903/NEWS/130909827/1117/fairfax-police-seek-suspects-in-herndon-south-lakes-high-school&template=fairfaxTimes

Many of the school board members have other jobs--that are paying jobs-unlike the crappy stipend they get for serving. Something like $25k

Many members say they put in about 50 hour work weeks--do the math-minimum wage.

Unlike The BOS, who make like $80k and have 4-5 staff members, the SB has one admin for every 3 members.

In other words, they have to take the time to read these reports and most of them don't.

Watch a meeting and listen to all the stupid questions asked-mostly because the member never bothered to read the reports befor ethe meeting.

My point is: nobody except McLaughlin who served on the task force, even read the report. There were no questions asked only a few assinine comments.

This is not Congress.

You have to check the facts when the schools ask for more money. If they ask for 200 million more than the previous year and get 100 million they consider that a 50% cut in their budget when actually they got 100 million more.

First of all, I'd assert that some school board members-let's pick on Tammy Kaufax, who supposedly operates a marketing company, don't have real jobs.

But, if the school board system is broken, fix it. Maybe absorb school budget and administration into the Board of Supervisors and the School Superintendant? I don't know, exactly, but the statement "they don't have time to read the reports" is just crap.

The turf study is a textbook case in deception. Board of supervisors members falling for are unlikely to be re-elected. The vandalism is unfortunate, but when the $100,000 repair bill comes, it is going to be a REAL wake up call for people.

Why did the SB members approve the online textbooks? They didn't do their homework.

How much exactly does FCPS spend on outside consultants? Millions? Nobody bothers to ask.

Why for years did Jack Dale get away with hiding millions under his staff reserves? Nobody questioned him.

What is the employee square footage in Gatehouse? Why are there so many conference rooms? Why do admin folks get large window offices? If they put more staff in this building maybe we wouldn't need all the other leased space. Will somone please ask.

I could list a hundred examples of incompetence.

Siege of Gondor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If BIRDSEED of all things can destroy turf fields,
> some clever person will build a trebuchet outside
> the range of the cameras and toss in a few bags of
> birdseed.
>
> Clueless observers will think it is a science
> project or Riders of Brohan stunt.
>
> Tammy Kaufax will get a suit of armor and a
> broadsword.

It's probably not so much that birdseed damages the turf, but concerns that the birdseed would attract birds who would then ingest the rubber pellets as they pick the birdseed.

If birds are such a problem, then turf manufacturers should sell cats or devices emitting high frequencies birds don't like.

Unless the damaged area is large, it shouldn't cost all that much to fix.

The field is not one piece of rug. It is many sections joined together. Cut out the bad part and melt in a new piece.

I pay a ton in taxes. Stop wasting OUR money. Sorry but I can no longer give to my local school. Turf taxes?

I want kids in FCPS to get an education.

Turf fields are a waste of my taxes. Stop with the waste now!

I hope Garza can see thru the BS that Jack Dale and Gatehouse created.

Now is time for true reform!

To all the crybabies get over yourselves. Sports is an integral part of the education process and great facilities are necessary for our athletes to do well. Stop complaining or MOVE

We spend all of this money for school security and community policing, and here are the results.

The whole school sports mania is almost peculiar to America. In Europe, if you want to play, you join an athletic club.

Why do "our" athletes need to do well? Some guy has come on here bitching that Fairfax needs an Olympic size pool to train competitive swimmers. Why?

Sports cost a lot of money and I for one question the return on the investment of MY tax dollars. If people want to play, let them pay.

The foolish cow, Karen Garza, needs to go back to Texas where it may be true that football is more important than reading.

This story is all over the news.....seriously is it that big of a deal?

Almost everyone who reads the "Turf Task Force Report" comments on what a scam job it is.

People are outraged that there was no opportunity for public discussion.

In this day and age of outsourcing, there is outrage that the schools want to buy the turf from a French company.

The fact that the discussion of turf maintenance is a joke speaks for itself.

This is fraud-like the guys who sell fake Rolex watches on the streetcorner, or the Craigslist ads for cars that turn out to be storm damaged hulks from Hurricane Katrina.

Fraudsters need to be locked up. Look at the websites for the School Board and Board of Supervisors to get an idea of what the mugshots will look like.

Chanelling McElveen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The whole school sports mania is almost peculiar
> to America. In Europe, if you want to play, you
> join an athletic club.
>
> Why do "our" athletes need to do well? Some guy
> has come on here bitching that Fairfax needs an
> Olympic size pool to train competitive swimmers.
> Why?
>
> Sports cost a lot of money and I for one question
> the return on the investment of MY tax dollars. If
> people want to play, let them pay.
>
> The foolish cow, Karen Garza, needs to go back to
> Texas where it may be true that football is more
> important than reading.

Most kids also participate in "club" sports in addition to high school sports. There's almost no possibility of making a high school team in any sport unless you have a few years in some association or club.

People are on FFXU all the time complaining about "helicopter" parents and "Tiger Moms" who push their kids to hard. Wanting to eliminate AAP programs and bitching about TJ.

Get rid of Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Art, Theatre, AAP Programs, TJ, AP/IB, Science Fairs, all Sports. What else? Heck get rid of schools altogether.

And why is it high schools NEED sports teams? Schools in other countries do just fine without them.

Sports cost FAR more than the other things mentioned put together. And, school spirit encourages sports vandalism. You never hear of someone changing all of the E-flats to F# in the chorus music, or exchanging sodium for sulfur in the chemistry class.

Nope, sports, sports, sports and to a lesser extent marching band and cheerleading.

Why needed-especially at the ridiculous cost?

The short answer is they are not needed. They are a luxury item that American society has placed a value on for well over 100 years.

I would only say that anyone who has kids involved in school sports is well aware that the schools are not paying for everything - the booster organizations and parents raise and pay a hefty sum of $$$$ every year - it's not a completely free ride on the taxpayer.

In tough times, we do without luxuries. Why, then more money for sports in the form of these turf fields?

Also, where are the numbers showing booster and parent support?

Schools should focus on education, not luxury. Being captain of the swim team won't help a kid get a job.

While we weren't paying attention, the elected officials made these fields a priority. They shifter proffer money, park bond money, CIP funds from FCPS, and even money from the operating budgets of The BOS and FCPS.

I keep hearing how schools have to pay for broken things because FCPS is broke. One pTA paid for new toilet seats!!!!

So here we are, 60 plus fields and they want to add another 15.

And NOW we wake up.

It might be too late to stop this mess.

Can't wait til we have the first little snowflake contract a staph or MRSA infection from these fields. How much will that cost the county?

I still want to see how much the bill for the repairs is and who pays it.

Maybe they offer other services as well?
Attachments:

Both the county and FCPS self insure, so unlikely they will be filing an insurance claim.

My guess is since the onle firld at South Lakes is park authority property, they will eat that cost. The boosters and reston youth groups will probably eat the cost of repairing the stadium turf.

Vandalism costs are real-whether it is spray paint, cars/trucks doing wheelies or birdseed, these damages need to be calculated into the annual upkeep.

Anyone have a copy of the user agreement? That should spell out who pays for what.

RydellRoad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I would only say that anyone who has kids involved
> in school sports is well aware that the schools
> are not paying for everything - the booster
> organizations and parents raise and pay a hefty
> sum of $$$$ every year - it's not a completely
> free ride on the taxpayer.

Compare HS sports to club sports. Just checking a couple FCPS HS web sites, looks like football players (as an example) pay about $200 to play. Compare that to any club sport with paid coaches - soccer, lacrosse, etc. For those, you will pay anywhere from $1000 - $1500/season, and that's without dedicated facilities, locker rooms, a fleet of buses at your disposal, etc.

The schools may not be paying for everything - but the couple hundred bucks the parents pay (which of course is waived for FRL kids) is a drop in the bucket compared to the actual cost.

And you know what, Ryan McElveen thinks the taxpayers should just eat the whole thing.

Kids who play need to pay a much higher percentage of the real costs. It would also be nice if an admin fee were tacked on top.

Fixing vandalized turf is maintenance, and that's not well addressed in the badly written Turf Task Force study. I say back to the drawing board with this one.

And, while they are at it, those fees need to go up. Why should I pay so some helicopter mom's kids can play golf, which I happen to think is a stupid game?

the sports subsidy must STOP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Kids who play need to pay a much higher percentage
> of the real costs. It would also be nice if an
> admin fee were tacked on top.

The 'activities' funded by the schools are a historical accident. Why football, and not rugby? Why orchestra, and not ballet? As a parent you are left with the choice of participating in the school sanctioned and subsidized activities, which may or may not be to you or your kids liking, or paying yourself for ballet, or tae kwon do, or some club sport, or whatever did not make onto the school list of activities decades ago.

Better to end these school-sanctioned 'activities' and let parents fund them directly through clubs outside of school. They'll be better managed, cheaper, and not be funded by everyone's taxes, but by the people who actually consume the resources. They will also then be more inclusive, since they will need to find ways to attract as many participants as possible, versus a select roster for only one football or basketball team.

Do the math Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the sports subsidy must STOP Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Kids who play need to pay a much higher
> percentage
> > of the real costs. It would also be nice if an
> > admin fee were tacked on top.
>
> The 'activities' funded by the schools are a
> historical accident. Why football, and not rugby?
> Why orchestra, and not ballet? As a parent you
> are left with the choice of participating in the
> school sanctioned and subsidized activities, which
> may or may not be to you or your kids liking, or
> paying yourself for ballet, or tae kwon do, or
> some club sport, or whatever did not make onto the
> school list of activities decades ago.
>
> Better to end these school-sanctioned 'activities'
> and let parents fund them directly through clubs
> outside of school. They'll be better managed,
> cheaper, and not be funded by everyone's taxes,
> but by the people who actually consume the
> resources. They will also then be more inclusive,
> since they will need to find ways to attract as
> many participants as possible, versus a select
> roster for only one football or basketball team.


+1

And it eliminates all of the petty bullshit that goes with sports tryouts, bench time, cheerleading, booster drama, school board drama and the terminal stupidity of Tammy Kaufax, Ryan McElveen and Karen Garza.

Rugby, by the way is a real game, and Fairfax has the ethnic base to make for some mean hakas!

One less helicopter parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do the math Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > the sports subsidy must STOP Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
> > > Kids who play need to pay a much higher
> > percentage
> > > of the real costs. It would also be nice if
> an
> > > admin fee were tacked on top.
> >
> > The 'activities' funded by the schools are a
> > historical accident. Why football, and not
> rugby?
> > Why orchestra, and not ballet? As a parent
> you
> > are left with the choice of participating in
> the
> > school sanctioned and subsidized activities,
> which
> > may or may not be to you or your kids liking,
> or
> > paying yourself for ballet, or tae kwon do, or
> > some club sport, or whatever did not make onto
> the
> > school list of activities decades ago.
> >
> > Better to end these school-sanctioned
> 'activities'
> > and let parents fund them directly through
> clubs
> > outside of school. They'll be better managed,
> > cheaper, and not be funded by everyone's taxes,
> > but by the people who actually consume the
> > resources. They will also then be more
> inclusive,
> > since they will need to find ways to attract as
> > many participants as possible, versus a select
> > roster for only one football or basketball
> team.
>
>
> +1
>
> And it eliminates all of the petty bullshit that
> goes with sports tryouts, bench time,
> cheerleading, booster drama, school board drama
> and the terminal stupidity of Tammy Kaufax, Ryan
> McElveen and Karen Garza.
>
> Rugby, by the way is a real game, and Fairfax has
> the ethnic base to make for some mean hakas!

So FCPS high schools don't have rugby teams too? BTW, does rugby play on turf or grass?