CONTRACTOR R.A.D. SPORTS was hard at work replacing the turf at Field 1 at Lynnfield High School’s fields complex last week. (Photo by The Priestley’s)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The School Committee unanimously approved an advertising and sponsorship policy during a recent meeting.
School Committee member Jamie Hayman recently floated a proposal about implementing a sponsorship policy at Lynnfield High School’s fields’ complex in order to raise revenue for the town and the School Department. A different school board began discussing the policy in 2018, but it was put on the backburner primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The advertising and sponsorship policy stipulates that, “Lynnfield Recreation shall receive 75 percent of the revenue to be allocated to its Field Maintenance Account.”
“Lynnfield Public Schools shall receive 25 percent of the revenue to be allocated to its Athletic Revolving Account,” states Policy KHB. “Agreements with sponsors shall include a revocation clause. Sponsors are to be responsible for maintenance of signs. If they become damaged, noticeably worn or vandalized, the school system is not liable for replacement costs and the advertiser must replace or remove the sign.”
The Department of Public Works (DPW) is currently in the process of replacing the turf at Field 1, which is Pioneer Stadium. The turf at the other fields will need to be replaced down the road.
The advertising and sponsorship policy will only allow companies to advertise at Pioneer Stadium, the press box, Snack Shack, scoreboards and other fields at the LHS fields’ complex.
“All sponsorship and athletic field proposals shall be first submitted to the superintendent,” states Policy KHB. “All sponsorship and athletic field signage proposals that meet the School Committee advertising policy criteria shall then be presented to the School Committee at a regular meeting.
All sponsorship and athletic field signage proposals must be voted on and approved by the School Committee. The School Committee shall approve the location, taking into consideration the size and scope of the signage to avoid obscuring lines of sight between areas of school property, or otherwise overwhelming or detracting from the athletic space.”
The advertising and sponsorship policy includes restrictions.
“No sponsor advertisement shall, by word, image/symbol or representation promote or make reference to the use of tobacco, alcohol, legal/illegal drugs or other prescribed substances, gambling or weapons; contain vulgar and plainly offensive, obscene, or sexually explicit language; advocate the violation of law or district policy; advance any religious or political organization and/or message; promote, favor or oppose a candidate for elected office or other political issue; be associated with any company or individual whose actions are inconsistent with the district’s mission and goals or community values; or otherwise be in violation of law,” states Policy KHB.
The advertising and sponsorship policy will also prohibit signage seeking to “promote behaviors detrimental to the health and safety of children.” The policy also bans items such as business cards or pamphlets from being affixed to signs.
“All sponsorship shall adhere to MIAA guidelines,” states Policy KHB. “Approved sponsors shall provide the superintendent with a proof of their advertisement for approval upon submission of proposal.”
According to the advertising and sponsorship policy, “all sponsorships shall be subject to a written School Committee approved advertising contract.”
“Said contract shall be signed by the School Committee signing authority or his/her designee,” states Policy KHB. “All terms, including but not limited to, pricing and conditions of advertising shall be cited within the agreement. All sponsorship proposals are subject to the joint approval of the Select Board and the School Committee by individual votes of those respective bodies.”
The advertising and sponsorship policy states that, “sponsorship contracts shall last no longer than three years.”
School Committee member Kate DePrizio, who serves on the Policy Subcommittee with School Committee member Kim Baker Donahue, said town and school officials will be developing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding advertising and sponsorship proposals.
“My recommendation would be to include in our policy that all sponsorship proposals are subject to joint approval by both the Select Board and the School Committee,” said DePrizio. “I think that would be prudent to have that included so that if there are any changes, we still have the responsibility that we are being appropriate in our governance of our fields.”
DePrizio noted that the advertising and sponsorship policy includes size restrictions for each potential advertising location.
Hayman said Policy KHB had been previously discussed during previous meetings this spring.
“I think this is a much better iteration than we were at before,” said Hayman.
School Committee Vice Chair Jim Dillon thanked the Policy Subcommittee for developing the advertising and sponsorship policy.
“So many of our kids and adults use those fields, and being able to maintain them is very, very expensive,” said Dillon.
Dillon said the new policy tries to “balance the need for revenue to maintain those fields” with “maintaining the quality and look of the campus.”
“It is a beautiful campus right now, and we don’t want to ruin that,” said Dillon. “I think what (the Policy Subcommittee) did shows balance for that.”
While Dillon said he was “not really a fan” of including the Snack Shack in the policy, he acknowledged that, “In the big picture, we have to have the revenue.”
School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy thanked the Policy Subcommittee and Superintendent Tom Geary for working to develop the advertising and sponsorship policy.
“I appreciate all of the work this has been for both of you and Tom,” said Elworthy. “I know it has been a lot of who owns what and what is the order and flow, which I think is the hardest part.”
Hayman said he anticipates that the policy will need to be “fluid” as companies submit bids for potential advertising.
“I see a lot of opportunity for us to say we need to learn from this and adapt it,” said Hayman.