Council approves $250,000 for ball field
By Greg Rayburn / Editor / grayburn@sherwoodvoice.com
Friday, December 19, 2008 11:48 AM CST
By a vote of 5-1, the Sherwood City Council on Dec. 10 approved appropriating $250,000 to pay for improvements and modifications to one of the baseball/softball fields at the Sherwood baseball complex.
The complex is located on the grounds of Sylvan Hills High School on Bear Paw Road.
“Given the short time frame in which this construction must be completed, the council finds this to be an exceptional situation where the competitive bidding procedure is neither feasible nor practical,” reads the ordinance. “Competitive bidding is hereby waived. Whereas, these improvements require completion in a very short time frame given the commencement of the 2009 season.”
Council members Charles Harmon, Marina Brooks, Becki Vassar, Keith Rankin, and Sheila Sulcer voted in favor of the ordinance. Alderman Butch Davis dissented while council members David Henry and Steven Fender were not present.
Sonny Janssen, director of the Sherwood City Parks and Recreation Department, said he had checked with different contractors to compare prices.
Janssen said the city is pressed for time to accomplish the work to be ready for the 2009 baseball/softball season which is to start in February. Besides the city baseball/softball field complex being used by Sylvan Hills High School, it is used by the city’s boys and girls baseball/softball leagues sponsored by the Sherwood/Sylvan Hills Optimistic Club.
Janssen recommended the work be done as the city continues to renovate the ballfields following last spring’s field rebuilding projects done after a tornado razed several fields and the complex’s concession stand.
“I wish the tornado had not come and destroyed the fields, but since it did, this seemed like an idea time to do something that has needed done for many years,” Janssen said.
Janssen said the $250,000 will be spent correcting a problem that has existed at the complex since about 1990 when one of the fields was construction in such a way that the catcher, umpire, and batter are forced to look directly into the sun when games are played at sundown.
Janssen said it has been common practice for many years to delay games until the sun sets and light isn’t glaring into the eyes of a batter, catcher, and umpire.
Janssen said the renovation project will rebuild one of the fields so home plate will not directly face a sunset.
Vassar, who has served on the city council since the early 1980s, said she recalls aldermen and the city quickly moving to construct the field, feeling compelled to move swiftly so the next spring’s baseball season was not interrupted.
Vassar said she sees the construction project as a positive move to correct a problem that has existed at the field for many years.
“Where are we getting the money to pay for this?” asked Alderwoman Sheila Sulcer.
City Clerk Angela Nicholson said the city has $2.3 million in certificates of deposits and $912,000 in a cash management trust. Nicholson said it is likely the money will be taken from cashing in some of certificates of deposits.
Davis said he voted against the project solely for financial reasons, saying he did not want the city spending the money.
Harmon said he supported the project because it corrects a safety issue that has existed since 1990.
Janssen said he anticipates the project to cost $256,875 but he is budgeting $27,582, which includes volunteer labor and another $20,000 donated by the Optimist Club.
Janssen said the issue of time was paramount because the contractor needs between 10-15 working days in order to accomplish the job.
“You know you are doing this in the worst time of the year,” said Rankin.
Janssen agreed, which is why he asked that the project be approved on an emergency basis.
Two months ago, city officials where strongly criticized by a group of Sherwood parents who were upset that field renovations were not accomplished quickly enough to allow their children to play on the fields for the 2008 fall season.
The parents expressed their frustration at meetings of both the city council and the Sherwood City Recreation Committee. They asked for and received assurances from city officials during the meetings that repairs needed due to the 2008 tornado would be completed early enough that the 2009 baseball/softball seasons would not be interrupted.
