Park board meets

Posted May 1, 2019 at 8:27 am

The Clinton County Recreation Park Board held its regular meeting Thursday, April 25 with eight members present.

The primary discussion centered around the need tokeep the ball fields in good playing condition throughout the season and again the possibility of having some type of Youth League sub-committee work in conjunction with the park board.

The approximate 50-minute meeting was chaired by co-chairperson Paula Little in the absence of Chairman Wayne Glover.

After approving the monthly treasurer’s report, the board briefly discussed a request that has been made to Tyson Foods for a possible donation or annual donation to the park. Board member Todd Messer said the local request had been passed on to corporate headquarters and the board is currently waiting on a reply.

Messer also discussed some needed work on the ball fields, including conditioner, additional dirt and the need for a nail drag to drag the fields. He noted he was currently borrowing the nail drag used by the high school.

Messer also noted that the local Farm Bureau was again wanting to sponsor a field and that $2,000 of those funds could be used on the aforementioned field necessities, split between the Youth League and park board.

There would be a gap of about $700 still needed, he estimated.

Board member Leland Hicks made a motion, which passed by unanimous vote, to utilize half ($1,000) of the proceeds from the ball field sponsorship plus an additional $350 donation by the park board–to be matched by Youth League, in getting the necessary work done on the fields.

It was also noted that Jim Sawyers had donated the new foul polls at the park and the board thanked Chris and Caleb Marlow for painting the polls.

Vice Chairperson Little also discussed the eventual need for new scorers’ tables to be placed at the park for score keepers to use during ball games.

Finally, there was another discussion about the Youth League adding some type of “sub-committee” of members to the park board, which some Youth League board members are advocating.

Most board members were in agreement such a subcommittee would probably be beneficial, but agreed that to create such a committee, the original park board by-laws may have to be amended.

No official action on the issue was taken last week, but discussion on the issue is expected to continue.

The next regular meeting of the park board is slated for May 30 at 6 p.m. at the park and is open to the general public.