Youth softball program reverts back to parks department

Tammy Holcomb told the Nevada Park Board during their meeting last week that the privately operated youth softball program did not have enough board members to operate the program another year and they would like to give it back to the city.

"I tried to run it on my own. We just don't have enough parents to run this," Holcomb told the parks board, before they voted 6-0 to accept the program.

"There are not enough parents willing to help," she said.

She told the board that she will be happy to be part of anything the city does with the program.

She said that the program was turning over all of their equipment, which is in good shape, along with $10,447.89 in cash, to the parks department. She suggested that the money could go toward a new concession stand-restroom facility.

Parks board president Jeff Post said that program has grown to have about 200 players, with games five days per week.

"We will take on the program where she left off," Post said, adding that they would run the program at the new complex at Twin Lakes.

Holcomb told the board that they had a lot of supplies; and the high visibility of the high school's softball team winning the state championship will help the program.

The board also took a quick look at changes in the fee structure for the use of park facilities proposed by Ryan Renwick, interim parks and recreation director.

Renwick said that he would like for the board to think about his proposed changes and discuss them during a special meeting at 5:30 p.m., Nov. 8, at the community center.

Renwick told the board that he is recommending that the fees at the Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf course stay the same; however, they should consider closing the course if the weather is too cold. This will save money for staffing and allow the maintenance people to work on other parks department projects.

Renwick said that most of his proposed changes are for the use of the Franklin P. Norman City-County Center and the Colonel John Marmaduke Community Building in Marmaduke Park.

He said that he would like the board to keep what is the best interest of the community in mind when they are considering his proposals.

"This facility is for kids to come to after school," Renwick said.

It is also receiving a lot of use and there is interest from traveling basketball teams in using it for practice, he said.

He told the board they need to consider setting an hourly practice fee and a tournament fee for use of the gyms.

"That will help the traveling teams and the schools," he said.

Renwick suggested the board consider setting a $15 per hour fee for the small gym and $30 per hour for the big gym and for tournaments, $150 per day for the small gym and $300 per day for the large gym.

He said that Myles Miller, who coaches a traveling basketball team, had contacted him about using the gym for practice.

Miller told him that they have to pay $100-$150 entry fees at each tournament they enter and some of his team members are not able to pay to play on a team.

Every time they have to pay $15 to $20 to rent gym space, it cuts into the money that is available to pay for tournaments.

Renwick said that Miller would like to see some free time available for traveling teams to practice.

"El Dorado Springs allows free time Saturday morning for traveling teams to practice," Renwick said.

He said that Friday nights are a slow time for the gyms, and that might be a possible time for this.

Renwick said that he would like to accommodate the traveling teams.

"But I don't want to lose the kids who come in after school or on the weekends," he told the board.

Post said that they also have the exercise programs that are held in the gyms.

"We have to keep a gym open, if at all possible, unless there is a big volleyball or basketball tournament," he said.

Renwick told the board they need to consider whether the rental fee for the meeting rooms for Vernon County residents and business should be changed. Currently there is a single fee, whether you are renting one room or all three rooms.

He also would like for them to consider setting a refundable security deposit or cleaning fee for everyone who uses the meeting rooms in the community center.

Renwick said that after a meeting by a non-profit group, which does not have to pay a rental fee, they found that someone had spit sunflower seeds all over the floor.

"If they pay a deposit maybe they will be more careful about leaving a mess," he said.

"We already charge a $15 fee for using the kitchen," Post said.

Currently, there is a fee of $15 per hour for the first two hours and $5 for each additional hour, for one room or three rooms for non-profit groups or local governments.

"There also needs to be a game room fee for birthday parties," he said.

Another thing Renwick said he would like the board to consider is a $15 fee to reserve a shelter house in the parks for two hours.

"Without a reservation, the shelter house would be on a first-come, first-served basis," he said.

Renwick said that they had just ordered new trash cans and grills for the parks.