Board rehashes ballfield location
The location of the county sports complex at the Marshall County Fairground is still under discussion.
At the July 1 meeting of the board of supervisors, District 4 supervisor George Zinn III renewed the discussion. He wants the sports complex to be highly visible for visitors. But the Fairgrounds board of directors has recommended locating the ball diamonds and soccer field to the north of the arenas. Taking down trees and building a bridge across a ditch that separates the property was one option.
Clearly, Zinn wants to stick with the original design of the fields prepared by county engineer Larry Britt. That would place the fields near the front of the property and in clear sight of Highway 7.
District 5 supervisor Ronnie O’Neil Bennett said he has received several phone calls from his constituents and he has walked across the ditch and talked to several board members including Fred Holland.
“We have more room, we don’t have enough room; we use the same place and tweak them, and then get them on the other side; every child don’t play softball.
“I would like to make a motion to move it across the ditch and start grubbing and cleanup in the winter. There is not enough in that budget set aside for it.”
He compared supervisors’ back and forth with the Fairground board of directors to that of the Zoning board.
“If we (board of supervisor’s) keep going against it, soon we won’t have a Zoning board,” Bennett said.
Zinn said there are houses across the ditch and the ball fields will have to go behind the houses obscuring the visibility of the sports complex, which some supervisors say has room enough for four complexes across the ditch.
Bennett said after crossing the bridge, a road can be built beside the ditch as an access route to the highway.
He thinks it would be beautiful and he has overseen building of ball fields.
“I think it will be beautiful there,” he said.
Zinn said the discussion of a sports complex at the Fairgrounds has been going on for three years.
“The only thing we did was drew a plan and (talk) back and forth about the plan. What is the projected time we would even be able to have?” he asked.
District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker said some fields could be put on the other side of the ditch. There is insufficient space to put everything in the original design area, he said.
“I respect what you are saying,” Zinn said.
“I’d like to get it going as much as you, but we’ve got to come up with some more money,” Walker said.
Zinn rescinded his motion.
District 1 supervisor Charles Terry recommended the board go out together and look at the property.
Walker reminded Zinn that he has only one member on the Fairgrounds board but each supervisor can name three to the board.
“One guy left because he didn’t agree with moving it across the ditch,” Zinn said.
Terry then changed the subject to getting the county website updated.
“We’re six months into the year and you guys names are not on the website,” he said to the new board members. “We need to go in and make corrections.”
Board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith said several people have sent in information and photos and she is working on getting the website updated.
Chancery clerk Nicole Phelps asked for travel for training for three 911 employees and for four jailers. The claims docket came to $1,984,218.
County administrator Tim Powell turned in pay requests for $19,000 to Elliott and Britt, and for three additional invoices from Britt for engineering.
Powell requested pay for two invoices from Elliott and Britt on work on the Project Poppy project at $23,302 and $50,004. An additional pay request for Britt of $42,125 was requested for work on Phase 2 of the water line extension to the Battery Plant site.
The board approved a bid of $117,140 from Chaves Brothers Management for a Trail King Lowboy trailer.