Los Gatos council approves five-year FieldTurf maintenance contract for Creekside Sports Park

The Los Gatos Town Council voted unanimously to authorize the town manager to execute a five-year agreement with FieldTurf USA to provide enhanced maintenance for the artificial turf at Creekside Sports Park.

Town staff told the council the field is 14 years old and was originally built with crumb-rubber infill. Director Burnham said the single bid from FieldTurf USA would expand routine maintenance to include more frequent sweeping and additional services such as sanitation and bacterial testing. “We feel like the agreement in front of you meets the standard of care for this field,” Burnham said.

The contract’s base year cost was presented as not to exceed $27,690 for fiscal year 2026–27, with subsequent annual adjustments tied to the consumer price index. A council member moved to authorize the town manager to execute the five-year agreement with that base-year cap; a second followed and the council approved the motion by roll call.

Council members and residents pressed staff on two safety and environmental concerns: whether rubber pellets and other microplastics are leaving the field and entering the adjacent creek, and whether the field’s hardness (measured by GMAX testing) is being checked frequently enough to protect players.

On runoff and microplastics, Tyler Thomas, superintendent for parks and public works, said maintenance is performed with the goal of keeping loose material on the field where possible and not using blowers that could send material toward the creek. “We avoid using blowers that'll kick it up over to the creek,” Thomas said. Burnham added that loose material that cannot be recycled is removed from the site and placed in disposal containers.

Staff said installing storm-drain filters at the site is feasible but that such work would be handled by town crews and not be part of the FieldTurf contract. Vice Mayor Risto asked staff to confirm filtration and other site controls; Burnham said staff would pursue filters as an in-house action and commit to additional sweeping between contractor visits.

On safety testing, staff said annual GMAX testing is performed and that the most recent tests—conducted in May 2025—showed a range with a minimum of 133, a maximum near 150 and an average around 140 (lower GMAX values indicate a softer surface). Burnham said the town is “not over the 165 threshold” and described 165 as the level that would require additional action; he noted results at or above 200 would prompt an immediate recommendation to close a field.

Residents who spoke urged more transparency and more frequent testing. One Zoom commenter requested that GMAX results be posted at field entrances so users, including parents, could see the field’s safety condition.

Council members asked about cost recovery and public access. Staff said the two primary organized users (Red Hawks Lacrosse and Los Gatos United Soccer) generate about $30,000 combined in annual use fees but do not directly pay a portion of this maintenance contract. Council members indicated a broader policy conversation about field allocation, cost-sharing and long-term resurfacing plans is appropriate in the coming year.

The motion that passed included direction for staff to consult with members of the public who submitted detailed comments and to return with estimates if significant contract amendments are recommended. The vote was unanimous.

The council also discussed and approved several other routine items earlier in the meeting, heard public comments ranging from budget questions to homelessness concerns, and received proclamations recognizing Affordable Housing Month, Building Safety Month and Historic Preservation Month.