HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-05-1991 Special MeetingThe Recreation Board of the City of Fairhope held a special meeting
June 5, 1991 at 6:00 p.m. at the City Administration Building
Present: Rae Jackson, Stanley Fant, Charlie Langham, Richard Bass
Larry Thomas. Rick Cleveland, Phil Rutherford, Betty Rivenbark
Robert & Brooks Northan and Mike Ford.
A special meeting had been called tonight so that Rick Cleveland, head
football coach at Fairhope High School,could discuss with the board his
concerns about the decision made by the board at their last meeting to
allow a group to come in and use the football field for 8 weeks for planned
soccer league play. Rick had gone to see the mayor and he had suggested
meeting with the board as they oversee functions at the stadium. Coach
Cleveland told the board that football is vitally important to him and that
is why he took this job. He related how he had been contacted and told
about the upcoming clinic and league play planned at the stadium and that
he had read the flyer and is truly concerned as to what 3 games a day for
8 weeks would do to the playing surface of the field. That he is not opposed
to soccer or any. other sport that he is most interested in presenting program
for the youth. He said he did not even know if Fairhope has enough people
interested to form a team, that last time he checked there were six people
interested. He also said he did not feel that we needed to be a home stomp-
ing ground for Mobile teams. Larry related that we had asked them if they
use the stadium to have 2- 60 yd. fields lined off so there would not be con-
tinuous play on the surface all the time. Rick said he has a real problem
with catering to the needs of someone outside the city. Stanley related that
in years past we have been faced with other people using our fields from
throughout Baldwin County and we had to make a policy to stop it. All
agreed they had no problem with the clinic just using the surrounding .area.
Charlie said they can play on the hill and he suggested that from the start.
Stanley said that he knew that in July -August the field has to grow. That
they need to sand it, put fertilizers and chemicals on it and these are the
months that it needs this treatment to get it ready for the fall season.
Robert Northan was here and agreed with all that Stanley said. Mike asked
what other functions used the field and was told historically nothing during
June, July and August, that it rests. Larry said he would be glad to meet
up at the stadium with Phil and Robert and see how they can lay it out.
Phil said tomorrow would be fine. Rae said she is selfish about our facilities.
That we are charged with taking care of them and we need to be selective
and limit the use to Fairhope people, and that we may have acted hastily in
making a decision last time, that we need to listen to the people who take
care of it. Stanley said that we can provide them with another field and
line it off and move bleachers there. Rick said if necessary they can even
use the practice field at the high school. Rae said that after hearing more
from the peoplethat maintain the field and the problems and care that it takes
in the summer to prepare for the fall schedule it is not feasible for them to
use it for 8 weeks straight and that she is moving that they not be allowed
to use the stadium, that we will do whatever we can to make other fields
available to them. Charlie Langham seconded motion and it carried with
Rae, Charlie and Stanley voting for motion and Larry voting against. Larry
was asked to notify them and he is to get with Phil and work out where to
put them. It was thought that we would line off the first game and them
thereafter. Robert asked what they would like to use, paint the lines or
marble dust, no one knew for certain.
Phil reminded the board that they needed to stand behind the policies that
they set, that they had voted that anyone who used the stadium would pay a
fee and that they were not going to charge anything this time, he said this
is how we get ourselves into trouble.
Rick asked the board if they were interested in having the weight room open
and he was told of the problems we had faced in the past and at this time no.
Phil reported that there are already problems with the pool and it was suggest
having someone come to the next meeting.
The board asked for nominations for chairman and Richard Bass was nominated
and approved with no other nominations and unanimously carried.
There being no further business, meeting was duly adjourned