Brighton Central School District

As part of the implementation of a comprehensive site management plan, the District has and will continue to undertake a number of mitigation strategies at the direction of our environmental consultants and regulatory agencies. These include daily inspections of the construction site to ensure exposed material is adequately covered and implementation of a Community Air Monitoring Program (CAMP). A CAMP is a system of air monitors placed around a work site to ensure that dust or vapors generated by construction do not migrate off‑site and expose nearby residents, schools, or businesses to contaminants.

The New York State Department of Health and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will also be providing educational materials that the District will share with the community.

Yes, it is safe. During construction, there will be a Community Air Monitoring Program (CAMP) to 1) Provide early warning if air quality conditions change; 2) Require immediate action if predetermined limits are exceeded. The monitoring alerts construction teams if they need to stop or slow their work. Dust can be managed with water and other practices as will be directed by our environmental consultants and regulatory agencies.  

The latest test results require revision and additions to the site management plan. The results raised more questions about what has to happen next in the design process. We are committed to being open to all options considering safety of the site now and in the future and cost implications. Our commitment is to continue to develop the fields in some fashion at no additional cost to the local taxpayers. We need to understand the scope and cost of all viable options. We will share these design options with the community for input before being finalized.  

The budget that’s being presented in May does not include any new tax dollars for this construction. This project is paid for with state aid and the capital reserve fund. The capital reserve fund pays the local share of the project. The capital reserve can only be used for capital expenditures. Next year’s budget uses general fund money and a portion of other expense-based reserves toward the budget. 

The second proposition on the ballot seeks voter approval for the expenditure of $13,600,000 on a capital project. This initiative requires authorization to withdraw $3,500,000 from the District Capital Reserve Fund. By utilizing reserve funds, allocating resources from the State’s Smart Schools Bond Act, and applying State Building Aid, this project is structured to avoid any impact on current or future tax levies.  

The scope of the proposed project encompasses both new initiatives and outstanding work from the 2024 capital project that require reauthorization of additional funding to ensure completion. The proposal also seeks an extension of construction contingency funds necessary to deliver the comprehensive scope of work approved by voters in February of 2024. A substantial portion of the requested contingency is expected to be allocated toward the mitigation of contaminated soil identified in the athletic fields behind Brighton High School. 

Soils fall into a couple of categories. With one, material is present, but not contaminated. The next level is contaminated. There’s residential, commercial, and industrial standards of contamination. Industrial has higher levels permitted than an athletic field. Another category is for hazardous waste.  

No, there wouldn’t be any risk as only the surface is replaced and the stadium field is an appropriate cover system for the soil underneath. 

The District and the design team were aware from the outset of the project that the land had a history of use. It was anticipated that glass, ceramics, bricks, general debris, and other materials would be encountered during development. Over the past century of use, similar debris and historical fill have been discovered in previous projects.  

It is important to clarify that while the presence of historical fill suggested potential unsuitability for construction compaction, there was no indication of contaminated soil composition necessitating further mitigation efforts.  

At the community forums, the Department of Health stated that they would look at any data, including lead testing in children and other statistics that could have any correlation with exposure of found substances. The District will share whatever data is provided by the DOH. 

As part of the Site Management Plan, and at the direction of the District’s environmental consultant and regulatory agencies, the District will implement a ground water testing program. 

No specific timeline has been established. The Interim Site Management Plan must be developed further, and the design team needs to assess its impact on design and construction. The District will carefully review options based on safety, field function, and cost. 

Dear Members of the Brighton School Community,

Since the District's announcement of the findings in the Brighton High School athletic fields construction area, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has received comments and questions from residents in the area asking whether similar materials may be present on their property and whether the material is safe. To assist the NYSDEC in further evaluations and to evaluate the appropriate path forward, additional analytical information will be collected by Terracon, the District's environmental consultant. Terracon will partner with the site contractor to complete additional soil sample collection on Friday, April 10, weather permitting.  

The site contractor will use a mini excavator to collect additional samples from previous test pit locations as specified and requested by the NYSDEC.  During the field work, dust control measures will be taken as needed, and excavated soils will be backfilled immediately following Terracon collection of soil samples. The surface will be replaced with the stone to further support dust control.

Terracon will have a community air monitoring program (CAMP) in place around the perimeter of the work area to monitor for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and dust migration during this work.  Results of the limited sampling program will be posted to the District's website after they are reviewed by Terracon and the regulatory agencies.  

The District is hosting information sessions about the construction on Wednesday, April 22 at both 1 and 7 p.m. in the Administration Building Board Room, 2035 Monroe Ave. Please come learn more about soil conditions and the District’s work with environmental engineers, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and New York State Department of Health to safely manage the site and provide a long-lasting solution to previously unknown soil conditions. We look forward to providing information and answering your questions.

Thank you

Dear Members of the Brighton School Community,

We wanted to provide you with an update on the Brighton High School athletic fields construction site.

The District, in coordination with its environmental consultants, continues to develop a comprehensive Site Management Plan in response to the discovery of historical fill with materials above regulatory limits at the BHS athletic fields construction site. The consultants remain in regular communication with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), which is coordinating with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).

At the agencies’ recommendation, the District has applied poly sheeting over the historical fill and soil piles. For the broader site, the NYSDEC is recommending that the District direct its site contractor to spread gravel as an acceptable cover to prevent dust from leaving the site. The gravel must be applied in sufficient quantity and depth to fully cover all areas and ensure that underlying material is not displaced. This work will begin on Monday, April 6.

We will continue to provide weekly updates and share additional information as it arises and requires action by the District. Until the comprehensive Site Management Plan is approved by NYSDEC, construction of the fields remains paused. Look for information next week about upcoming community forums specifically about this project.

Thank you

Dear Members of the Brighton School Community,

We are writing to inform you of important findings discovered during the construction of our new athletic fields behind Brighton High School. We want to be transparent about what we've found, the immediate and decisive action we took, and the comprehensive steps we're taking to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community.

During early site preparation work in January, our construction contractor encountered previously undocumented historical fill materials beneath the topsoil in the athletic fields area. This material includes ash, cinders, brick, glass, ceramic, and metal and is expected to be associated with the historical land use from 1830 to the 1920s when portions of the site were used for brick manufacturing and related industrial activity.

Upon discovery, and out of an abundance of caution, all earthwork was immediately halted in accordance with standard construction and environmental safety protocols. The District’s construction manager promptly commissioned additional soil testing and the District engaged environmental professionals to assess conditions. Analytical testing confirmed that certain compounds were detected at concentrations exceeding regulatory thresholds, triggering formal notification and involvement of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and consultation with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).

Safety has guided and will guide every decision. No work will resume without regulatory direction. The District has retained Terracon, a licensed environmental consulting firm, to develop a Site Management Plan (SMP) under NYSDEC and NYSDOH oversight. The SMP will establish clear, enforceable procedures for soil handling, worker and community protection, air monitoring, dust suppression, and long-term management.

Importantly, experts have confirmed that this historical fill has existed on the site for more than 100 years and would have been encountered during any construction work in this area regardless of whether it was for natural grass or artificial turf, utility installation, or grading. Historical fill can be found all over the state as there were no regulations to prevent this type of disposal. 

Although the discovery of the materials at this magnitude was unexpected, we plan to transform this problem into an opportunity to address and remediate the area responsibly, with full regulatory oversight and modern safety protocols. The District will implement approved cover systems such as new fields, pavement, concrete, or clean soil layers that prevent future exposure. Additionally, the original plan of a water retention basin would be replaced with an underground chambering system. This would ensure that water draining from the field doesn’t contact the historical fill materials before discharging into the existing storm water inlet.

The District is working closely with NYSDEC and NYSDOH to evaluate design modifications that substantially reduce soil disturbance, limit off-site disposal, and manage costs, while fully meeting or exceeding environmental and public health standards. Construction will only resume after regulatory approval of the Site Management Plan.

The District remains committed to transparency, regulatory compliance, and the health and safety of students, staff, and the community. While this issue was unforeseen, the response reflects prudent stewardship, expert oversight, and a clear focus on minimizing risk and ensuring the campus remains a safe place for generations to come.

This information was presented to the Board of Education at last night’s meeting. You can watch a video of the meeting or review the presentation on our website. The District will be scheduling informational meetings in the near future.

Thank you,

Kevin McGowan, Ed.D.
Superintendent