Town Not Lining Youth Soccer Fields

FYI - I am not on the board of EHYS, I am merely a concerned (and very disappointed) parent.

RESPONSE

The following is a response, sent to East Haven Patch, from Frank Gentilesco of the East Haven Mayor's Office.

The first our office heard of a problem with the fields was a phone call made to us just prior to 3:30 pm on Friday.

When I inquired with Public Services, I was told by three supervisors including the Chief Caretaker Steve Kluth that the department was never definitively given a schedule of when the season would be opening nor any of the dates where games were scheduled.

Mr. Kluth is the Chief Caretaker of the Parks Department and he coordinates all the scheduling and preparation of getting our athletic fields ready for play.

Mr. Kluth told me he received a call from someone with the league about a week ago asking that the nets be put on the fields for practices, but was never told of opening day and to this date, still does not have this season's schedule.

This week our department had to get both Little League's multiple fields ready for play as for the first time, opening day for both leagues was scheduled for the same day.

Had our Parks Department known well in advance (like he did for Little League) the soccer opening day games were the same day, our crews would have either gotten the fields ready somehow or would have worked out a schedule with the three organizations which would make that possible.

Finally, when I asked Steve how long it takes to get the soccer fields lined for play, he informed me that since each field has to be measured and sight lined to specifications it could take a good part of two work days, so there was no way to get the fields lined for Saturday, when informed lateFriday afternoon.

One other thing, I did tell Ms. Massini-Ryan that I am sure the players would be disappointed, but it was said as an expression of empathy and certainly not in the manner she is insinuating. I hope this clears up much of this misinformation.