“It’s a matter of infrastructure. We have 12 fields, all are in questionable shape. Some are better than others.” — Tanner Salyers, city recreation director
MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon City Council members met in special session at the Babe Ruth ball field on Monday to discuss infrastructure and other ballpark-related issues.
Infrastructure relates to buildings, restrooms, and other structures. In a broader sense, it also includes questions such as who is, or should be, responsible for mowing, how does selling advertising on fence signs relate with the parks being city-owned property, and who is responsible for cleanup during a tournament.
“Does the city fix the infrastructure, or is it incumbent on the leagues?” Recreation Director Tanner Salyers asked.
According to Mayor Matt Starr, the city’s responsibility is for infield dirt, home plate, and the rubber on the pitcher’s mound. However, there does not appear to be any written agreement or documentation between the city and the leagues as to who is responsible for what.
For example, the city mows the parks once a week. According to Salyers, the leagues say that is not happening as regularly as might be needed, so the leagues are taking on that burden.
“The leagues pay essentially for everything. Any maintenance other than home plate and the mound — outside of that, they cover everything else that you see,” he told council.
City Law Director Rob Broeren is concerned about using city property for paid advertising space, but the flip side is that the ad revenue goes back into the individual leagues’ funds to pay for expenses.
That brings up the issue of disparity in terms of raising money evenly among the leagues. For example, the girls softball league might raise more money for its fields because it charges outside organizations a fee to use the park for tournaments. But how do the other fields get funded?
Salyers said local organizations should not be charged to utilize the parks because the city funds the parks.
“However, if you live in Newark and not Mount Vernon, we are of the opinion you should pay,” he said.
Fees charged for tournaments rolls into the questions of who cleans the restrooms during a tournament? Who takes care of the restroom supplies? Who is responsible for porta-potties? The city or the league?
Council member Tammy Woods said it is not right to charge for restroom supplies when people come here for tourism. Councilman John Francis noted the restrooms are part of Memorial Park.
Salyers pointed out that still leaves the question of who cleans the restrooms during a tournament.
Starr said, “One hundred and ten trash cans are emptied on Friday and Monday [during the season]. That’s not a problem, but it depends on what else we are going to be asking our staff to do during that time.”
“Clearly this needs to be a public-private partnership,” Councilman James Mahan said.
Relating to raising revenue, Council President Bruce Hawkins asked about the process for naming rights to the fields.
Salyers said that if 25 residents sign a petition, naming rights can be granted for 20 years to any one of the 12 ball fields. However, the city is moving away from that rule.
“What we need to do is what every other city does: sell naming rights to the ball field,” he said. “That money goes into the league.”
Councilman Mike Hillier sounded a note of caution about mixing city taxpayer money, which pays for the ball field, with private money.
“They’re designed for community parks,” he said. “People are already putting money into it. Are we as a city putting the money into it that we should?”
“No,” Salyers responded.
There is no separate line account for ball field maintenance within the parks and recreation budget. The city put in new bleachers at the Babe Ruth field recently.
Also specific to the Babe Ruth field, questions arise about the press box/concession stand, which is in great need of repair. Who owns the building? Hillier said the city did not build the structure.
“I think this is a safety issue that needs to be taken care of first,” Councilwoman Amber Keener, said, adding that she would like to see some improvements put in the capital improvement budget. “If the league is concerned about it … My goal would be to make this space fixed for this season.”
Hillier noted that redoing the concession stand would subject it to state requirements.
“Obviously, we have some emergencies to take care of … but we want to have a brand,” Starr said, referencing the parks master plan’s recommendation to use the same color paint for press boxes, restrooms, dugouts, etc.
Because there is no clarity on responsibilities, Salyers and city officials put together a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that deals with issues such as who is responsible for what, how to handle parking, and other details.
“We’ve made sure the leagues are going to have input in that so they won’t feel they are being pushed around,” Salyers said.
Law Director Broeren is reviewing the draft MOU. Whether it will be in effect for the 2023 season is unclear, but Salyers said it will be a requirement for 2024.
Salyers said the plan is to get everyone together at the end of the year and discuss potential cost-saving issues such as are the leagues using the same vendors for dirt, chalk, and other supplies.
“Them having ownership is important,” he said. “If we take off a lot of the infrastructure costs that the leagues have to cover, a lot more money can go back into the kids.”
“At the end of year, we’ll discuss all of this. It has not been a partnership so much as it’s been all them doing it,” Keener said.
Keener, who chairs the city’s Parks and Lands Committee, will hold a committee meeting prior to council’s legislative session on April 24 to discuss the issues further.
