BATH

A newly formed committee charged with cementing plans to install field turf at McMann Field meets today for the first time.

The meeting, at the Bath Parks & Recreation Department office, begins at 2 p.m. Steve Balboni, parks and recreation director, said the committee is likely to appoint a chairperson.

The City Council on Wednesday night approved formation of the committee, which will report back to the council on April 17.

“We’ll be for the next two weeks putting together all the information that we need,” Balboni said. “The committee will move forward, then seek the City Council’s order for a full go-ahead on April 17. Having the committee together, we can start working plans.”

Balboni and Fields for Our Future members Lu Lozano and Greg Hollis are among the committee members. Others include city councilors Andrew Winglass and Tink Mitchell; Peter Owen, or a designee, from Public Works; and Greg Page of the city Recreation Committee.

Wyman said Thursday councilors engaged in lengthy discussion prior to approving the committee Wednesday night. Some councilors thought the committee should have been formed earlier, and others asked why formation of the committee wasn’t advertised, Wyman said.

Fields for Our Future is hoping to have problematic grass field at McMann Field replaced by synthetic turf in time for Morse High School’s autumn sports season. They’re hoping to begin an estimated six-week project by late June.

Fields for Our Future representatives say they are closing in on the fundraising goal for installation of a state-ofthe art turf artificial surface at McMann Field — some $40,000 to $50,000 away.

lgrard@timesrecord.com