Page 14 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, May 5, 2023 ~ Letter to the Editor ~ Open letter to the Malden City Council Finance Committee Dear Malden City Council Finance Committee, The Friends of Roosevelt Park are requesting the fi nance committee to delay a decision or not to approve an additional $2.5M for the Roosevelt Park Project. The funding for contamination removal should only be approved if it is tied to the installation of natural grass. The finance committee can make the fi rst decision or stake in the ground for tipping the scales of environmental and social justice back to a more balanced representation of equity. Please keep in mind all other park renovations across the City will be natural living grass and there was extensive community outreach for planning and design. Anything less than a plan for natural grass for Roosevelt Park is an injustice for this neighborhood and this school community. Timeline of Cost Increases for this project: 5-1-2018 $2.4M C P A Pre Application-Project Cost Projection 9-4-2018 $2.6M C P A Application 9-25-2020 $3.6M Proj - ect Increases (Additional $1.2M Section 108 Loan CBDG HUD) 4-25-2023 $6.1M Proj - ect Increases (Additional $2.5M requested by Mayor Christenson) Members of the Friends of Roosevelt Park have taken the time to research, compare and question the line item costs associated with this project. The latest increase of $2.5M should be further investigated by the fi nance committee before approving. What is the true cost analysis of grass vs artifi cial turf - installation, maintenance and cost replacement every 8-10 years for artifi cial turf? We implore you to ask these questions as well: 1. Why has nearly 700K already been spent on this project before any groundwork has actually taken place? Please review the line item costs and paid invoices. 2. How much will the proposed artifi cial turf cost today? The Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation approved $660K to cover the cost of artifi cial turf back in 2018/2019. What are they willing to contribute now? Has their Board of Directors approved an increase in price? 3. Why hasn’t the City of Malden sought out Brownfi eld Grant Funds as mentioned by Councillor Winslow in the Board of Health meeting? Councillor Winslow stated that the City could secure these funds to clean up the lead contamination? 4. Why hasn’t the City of Malden applied for PARC grant funding for this project? 5. Why hasn’t the City of Malden used ARPA funding to clean up the contamination? 6. Why did the City of Malden use a Section 108 CDBG loan when other funds were readily available? (PARC grant, ARPA, Brownfi eld grants) 7. Has the City secured funding from Rep. Katherine Clark’s offi ce as mentioned previously? Have Rep. Clark and Senator Markey reviewed the latest funding plan? 8. Has anyone on the council reached out to the Board of Health? No more funding should be approved before the Malden Board of Health has had an opportunity to make a recommendation as to whether artifi cial turf will be an undue health burden for the neighborhood and the Salemwood School children playing daily on this fi eld for recess, before and after school during their K-8 years at the school. Health concerns are related to the heat island eff ect caused by excessive heat being emitted from the artifi cial turf. Excessive heat is detrimental to young children, older people and those who are compromised due to various health issues. Additional health concerns include exposure to PFAS, off gassing, microplastics, sports related injury and skin abrasions due to contact with play on plastic turf. Artifi cial turf is an unregulated product. There are many associated health concerns as mentioned above. 9. There are several bills before the legislature directly related to the installation, recycling and safety of artifi cial turf, PFAS products and climate change mitigation. How will future legislation aff ect compliance with new legislation as well as costs of removing and disposing of artifi cial turf? Will products containing PFAS be more costly to dispose of? Will products made of plastic which are not being properly recycled be more costly to replace and remove? 10. What is a true cost analysis of natural grass versus artifi cial turf? Artifi cial turf has a useful life of 8-10 years, at which time it must be removed and replaced for an estimated current cost of $650k-750k ($750k+ in 2020 costs according to Steve O’Neil at a previous fi nance committee meeting). If a natural grass fi eld maintenance plan were to cost 25k per year, it would still be less costly than artifi cial turf. ($25k x 10yrs = $250k vs $750k to replace a new artifi cial turf fi eld) Wouldn’t it make more fi scal sense for the City of Malden to invest in a professional grass maintenance program to maintain all of Malden’s grass parks which we are investing millions of dollars to improve? 11. What is the utilization plan/schedule? (Malden Youth Soccer, high schools, Malden Recreation, private rentals) Approving an additional $2.5M to continue this project without doing a thorough investigation of spending, comparisons and cost projections is not prudent or responsible. Thank you for your consideration. Friends of Roosevelt Park Malden - LEGAL NOTICE - COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Division Docket No. MI23P2150EA Estate of: FRANK A. VALERI Date of Death: FEBRUARY 14, 2023 INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Paul A. Valeri of Malden, MA Petitioner Peter F. Valeri of Wakefield, MA Paul A. Valeri of Malden, MA Peter F. Valeri of Wakefield, MA has been informally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond. The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner. May 5, 2023
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