Resident raises runoff and notification concerns over Lower Roquina Field; district says contractor will redo basins at no cost

Fred Stein, a resident of 217 Fern Avenue, used the public-comment portion of the meeting to press the district for accountability on drainage work and to request a status update on Lower Roquina Field. Stein warned that efforts to make the field drier could increase runoff and send sediment into Newton Creek and Crystal Lake, and he expressed concern that statutory notice requirements (200 feet) will fail to alert many homeowners who he said will be most affected.

"The ground is acting like a sponge...All that sediment is going into Crystal Lake," Stein said, urging the board to do more outreach to affected neighbors.

The superintendent responded that the original engineer’s design called for basins to drain within 48 to 72 hours and that the district installed wicks on one basin but continued to experience problems. The superintendent said the contractor agreed to redo the basins at no cost and that the district has redesigned the field to comply with a DEP-imposed 150-foot protected buffer. The superintendent said the district will follow up with Stein and provide an update on next steps.

The superintendent cautioned that the project has been delayed by the buffer requirement and other factors, and warned that repeated change orders on multiple projects have increased costs and could limit funds available for later phases of construction or field work.

What remains unresolved in the transcript is whether the redone basins will fully resolve drainage issues; the superintendent said the district will pursue further remedies if problems persist after the contractor’s second redo.

Next steps: superintendent to speak with the commenter and provide an update; the district is in the process of redoing basins and has redesigned the field to meet DEP buffer constraints.