San Carlos Youth Advisory Council Votes Against the Installation of Synthetic Turf

March 11, 2009, San Carlos, CA—In its first consideration of the controversial synthetic turf issue, the San Carlos Youth Advisory Council, a body that represents middle school and high-school age children in the city, voted against replacing the Highlands Park surface with artificial turf.

The nationally recognized San Carlos Youth Advisory Council is appointed by the City Council as an advisory board. The Youth Council voted 5 to 4 Wednesday night to recommend that the City Council not install synthetic turf at Highlands Park.

“This one project would exhaust the city’s capital improvement funds for all the parks, youth center, and senior center,” said Kevin Harris, San Carlos Youth Advisory member who voted with the majority. “Highlands Park is in better condition than virtually any other field in the city. I think the Youth Advisory Council would like to see the money spent on less expensive projects that have a broader benefit to the community.”

"The myth for the past six years in this city is that this project is for the kids,” said Daniele Huerta a resident of San Carlos and member of “Save San Carlos Parks.” “Well, the kids have spoken, and I hope the politicians who appointed them will listen. At a cost of at least $1.5M, coupled with environmental and health concerns, synthetic turf benefits only a small handful of year round athletes. In these times of tight budgetary constraints, synthetic turf is not in the city's overall best interest."