The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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November 28, 2006

Council huddles up on sports-complex plan

By Mike Dwyer

mdwyer@joplinglobe.com

The Joplin City Council decided to meet needs in a couple of specific areas rather than come up short in several areas in the first phase of construction of an outdoor sports complex.

The council reached a consensus at a work session Monday to pursue the construction of 12 tennis courts — one an exhibition court designed to accommodate a larger audience — six soccer fields, a baseball field, a concession stand and restrooms.

The original plan for the complex called for fewer tennis courts and a men’s softball field, but Councilman Phil Stinnett raised concerns that a site designed to please everyone would please no one.

“I’m concerned that we’re not fulfilling anyone’s needs,” Stinnett said. “Why don’t we accomplish something in each phase?”

Plans for an optimal sports complex, based on input from public meetings, also were presented. Stinnett said the city should strive to achieve the most desirable level in each area and move on to other areas if the funding became available.

Stinnett said the city should use the $6 million budgeted for initial construction of the sports complex to build the desired number of top-quality soccer fields and tennis courts.

“It seems to me that we have such limited dollars that we need to see what we can do to make this work for one or two groups,” he said.

He also said the city should focus on improving its existing baseball and softball fields instead of building new ones.

Several council members raised concerns about whether the city could maintain a sports complex, noting that the money that has been budgeted is for construction and not operation.

Jerry Calvin, director of parks and recreation, said the city could maintain the complex by shifting one full-time person to the site.

City Manager Mark Rohr said a participants’ fee would offset the cost of adding part-time workers at the complex.

Mayor Jon Tupper said he wonders whether the parks and recreation staff could keep a complex at the level it should be. He said other operations the city has have not been maintained properly.

“I’ve been concerned for six years,” he said. “I already know that I have a parks department that can’t catch up.”

Tupper questioned whether the city needs the sports complex. He said private entities in town already provide many of the same services. He said the should not build something to compete with private organizations.

He also said he doesn’t see many of the city’s parks as being busy enough to call for the sports complex.

Rohr said the council can continue to make changes.

“We still have the flexibility during design,” he said. “You can still cut and paste up until the time you’ve got a bid.”

The money comes from a quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters five years ago for parks and storm-water projects. The city in May 2003 paid a little more than $1 million for about 110 acres northwest of Schifferdecker Park for the complex.





Timetable

City Manager Mark Rohr has said he wants to begin construction of the complex next year, pending council approval. It is slated to take 12 to 18 months to complete.

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