Little League field recommended to City Council, all members vote ‘yes’

by Dana Serum  

A meeting was held on Sunday, June 28, in which the five members of the Parks Commission met to vote for or against a recommendation by the Mondovi Youth Baseball Association (MYBA) to install a Little League field in the current volleyball area of the Memorial Park. 

Parks Commission member Nancy Polzer addressed the crowd, announcing that research showed the original intentions for the park were for two-thirds to be used for a recreational park and one-thirds to be for the arboretum. Polzer said that those original intentions would be honored with the proposal. 

“The arboretum will not be compromised,” she said. 

Polzer read aloud the intentions that the MYBA has with the proposed field: 

To merge with girls softball

To reposition the volleyball courts for a little league field with a maximum area of 250 feet

In the future, install new playground equipment 

Trees bordering neighboring properties will be untouched

Removal of three diseased trees, and three other trees in area, with replanting of two for each one removed

Remodel or make new bathroom, which will be handicap accessible 

Install a new covered concession area 

No lights installed at this time

Upkeep and mowing, either by the City or the MYBA; it will never be left undone

No money from tax payers for the project, independently funded by the MYBA and its donors 

To work with the City on constructing a path way around ball field in the future

Parks Commission member Karl Zacharias told the attendees that he has had several organizations come forward with interests in looking at additional items in the city to tend to. He said that these “civic organizations” are willing to donate money to various projects in the city, for things like replacing and painting picnic tables or resurfacing basketball courts.  

“There are several organizations that want to share money to make things better,” Zacharias said. 

“Many things have to be done, that’s for sure,” Polzer said of other needs in park maintenance projects. 

Commission Member Todd LaDuke said this decision was a difficult choice for him. 

“To hear that there are a near 300 kids involved, that’s phenomenal,” he said. “But on the other hand, you have to take account of its affect on the neighborhood.”

LaDuke suggested the Parks Commission add on stipulations of never being able to install lights, and that the only organizations that could use the field were the  youth baseball and softball, adding his hope to put “as little of invasive problems on the neighborhood, to still have a field.” 

“Whose going to police that?,” Zacharias asked the crowd. 

MYBA treasurer Tim Schlosser said he didn’t see a need for lights to be in the area because the MYBA doesn’t currently play at night, but he said they can’t control what the City might decide “thirty years from now.” 

“We haven’t heard of any other plans to restore the park,” Schlosser said. “We are willing to do it. There are lots of people willing to help.” 

The crowd questioned the cost of moving the volleyball courts to another area, which MYBA reps said they will cover. Polzer added that a volleyball area will still remain in Memorial Park. 

The Parks Commission then decided to place a vote for or against recommending that a field be placed in the current volleyball area at Memorial Park, in which all five members voted in favor. 

A second voting was done for the stipulations of restricting the field for only youth softball and baseball to use. 

Mayor Treig Pronschinske said because the field comes with no cost to the city, he questioned the stipulation request of placing restrictions over use of the field.

“The youth will always be number one, across the board with the city,” Pronschinske said. “It’s a city park, it’s the city’s job to know what’s going on with these organizations.”

The second vote on restrictions on the parks usage came with each of the five members agreeing to no restrictions. 

Polzer thanked all for being at the meeting, and said that she would write up the recommendation and bring it to a future City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting will be Tuesday, July 14, at 6:30 p.m. Mayor Pronschinske said he will not put the Parks Commission recommendation on the City Council agenda until Polzer has the submission in.