Thank you all for signing - other than my plea for signatures, there is a comprehensive update from Graham and Kate. We quickly got to 100 signatures and clearly we know there are more who support this endeavor - can we get to 1,000? I ask that you share this link with your spouse, partner, family and friends. I'm not on snap but if any one can share this with their snapchat friends I think we will be abe to gain a few more signatures. There will be strength in numbers and more so, the belief that the backdoor strategy from some of the members of the Board of Health are not representative of what the community wants. That said - my message is short and sweet, I ask you to share this petition and talk it up to others that you know are supportive of these efforts.
Update from Graham and Kate:
Board of Health Meeting
The next Board of Health (BOH) meeting is scheduled for January 8th. While we are still awaiting the official agenda as it is unclear if they will address the turf during this meeting. We will share further details as they become available.
Turf Field Advocacy
As noted at the last meeting, synthetic turf was raised during public comments before the Board of Health. If the Board of Health were to enact a ban, it could require the removal of the Nobadeer turf field and prevent installation of the new turf field recently approved by the School Committee. NPS already relies on the Nobadeer turf field to reduce wear and tear on the school’s grass fields. If that turf goes away, it’s hard to see how those grass fields would improve under increased use.
Attached is a summary from Weston & Sampson, a consulting firm hired by NPS to independently review the proposed turf along with information on recycling and a letter from the architects. (I tried tot attach said file but in change.org I was not able to figure this out. If you would like a copy of this report, please message me with your email and I will forward it directly.)
These are selected materials from the packet shared at a School Committee meeting. The full packet, from Dec 8th is linked here if you’d like to review or download it. The attached documents help clarify the specific turf being considered and what end-of-life recycling would look like for the field.
Take Action
Please share the petition organized by Brent Tartamella: Link to Petition. Send this petition around, it would be great to see a real showing of support. It is essential at this time. I also encourage you to read Brent’s Letter to the Editor published in the Nantucket Current on December 23rd. Kudos to Brent!
It’s important for parents, students, and community members to keep speaking up in support of turf fields to meet our current field use needs. Now that 2026 has arrived and we have New Year’s resolutions in mind, maybe consider writing a letter to the editor or sharing your thoughts during public comment!? We would love to hear from you. (If you are interested in contacting Graham or Kate directly, message me and I can put you in direct contact).
We will provide updates on the BOH proceedings as soon as we know more. Thanks for everyone continuing to stay involved. It matters for our kids and our community!
Happy New Year!!
Graham & Kate