MOUNT VERNON – The city needs to start spending more time on its park systems, Mayor Matt Starr told the Mount Vernon News.
He said that in the past, the city has acquired different structures at the ball fields like press boxes and concession stands because parents and sports group volunteers who use the parks donated them. Once that was done, the maintenance was left to the city.
The city wants to start investing in its ballparks. Everything can’t be done at once and at the same time. But they do want to take care of safety measures first.
The press box at the Babe Ruth field has some bowing in the flooring on the second floor. A contractor will examine it, he said.
“That’s just one of the press boxes,” he said. “While we’re at it we want to take a look at all of the rest of them and make sure that safety is taken care of first and foremost.”
City Council and the administration will have a lot of work to do because the city ordinance on the ballpark diamonds says the city’s only responsibilities are home plate and the rubber on the pitcher’s mound. The city also puts in the infield dirt at the beginning of the season and mows once a week.
The sports leagues take care of the bases. Typically, league members bring their own lawnmowers out because with games played four or five nights a week, mowing just once a week isn’t enough. So the parents mow the lawn to make sure that it’s suitable for games.
The city also must make sure it has a memorandum of understanding with anyone who uses the fields in an organized fashion or who gets exclusivity, Starr said. And it needs to make sure outside entities wanting to use the fields are given a fair fee structure.
Recreation Director Tanner Salyers, who also serves as the Knox County Recorder, has compiled the list of all of the recreation-related city ordinances. The Recreation Board is coming to an agreement on what they want to recommend to City Council to move forward, Starr said.
The city will explore different ways to generate funds for the park system so it doesn’t all come out of the General Fund. Naming rights will be explored to see if that can help pay for some infrastructure upkeep, he said.
“We also want to continue to find ways to expand the recreation product in the city of Mount Vernon,” he said. “We’re going to look to strategic partnerships like what we’ve done with the YMCA for the Hiawatha Water Park.”
Street Department completes stormwater work
The Street Department did some stormwater work on Stevens Street and at Hillcrest and Marita, Starr said.
“Also in the neighborhood, we did some stormwater work on Ferndale Drive and Marita intersection,” he said.
A water tap was completed on Cliff Street.
Two trees that were causing some problems were removed on Spring Street between North Clinton and McKinley Street, he said.
Fourth of July planning begins
Planning has begun for Mount Vernon’s Fourth of July celebration. The city started having pre-logistical meetings on how they want to control traffic and set things up at Ariel-Foundation Park.
They will meet again in June about a month before the celebration, Starr said.
Parrots of the Caribbean will perform, and a fireworks show is set for that night.
“Hopefully everything will just go swimmingly, and we’ll have the fireworks at night,” he said.
A rain date was scheduled for July 5.
Youth Leadership Council will present to City Council
The Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council met on Thursday afternoon. They will have two more meetings before making a presentation to the City Council, Starr said.
He said it has been a very successful program and they are happy with how it turned out.
The students will take the summer off and reconvene in the fall when school resumes, he said.
.webp)
.webp)
