Marion transfers ballpark to schools
Staff writer
Marion officially transferred its baseball and softball complex to the school district Monday.
The city will maintain the complex and provide insurance through July. After that, the school district will be responsible for insurance, property taxes, utilities, maintenance, operation, and management.
The property is tax exempt at this time, but the schools would have to fill out forms with the appraiser’s office to qualify for it to remain tax exempt, the county appraiser’s office said.
City-owned maintenance and lawn equipment will be removed, but sports equipment, bleachers, seats, concession stand equipment, and other items related to operation of the complex will be transferred to the school district.
The city will continue to be responsible for programs related to tourism, festivals, and economic development while the district will be responsible for recreational programs serving students and adult activities the district chooses to offer.
East Park, with tennis, handball, and basketball courts, a shelter, and play equipment also will be leased to the school district long term, but the district must make them available to the public. The school district can charge reasonable fees for any of the sports facilities.
In return, the district will pay $1 a year for 39 years and pay the first five years of electricity bills at wholesale cost. As of now, wholesale cost is 0.075 per kilowatt-hour.
The school board will need to sign the agreement before it takes effect.
In other business Monday, council members:
- Learned that the state approved at $250,000 grant to install a new roof, replace windows and doors, and repair masonry, gutter drainage, and water damage to the former McGregor’s building, now owned by Megan and Daryl Jones, at 301 E. Main St.
- Appointed Carol Laue and Bruce Skiles to the planning and zoning commission. Two other vacancies exist, but the board now has enough members to meet.
- Declined to pay for concrete work adjacent to a new parking lot at St. Luke Hospital.
- Raised impoundment fees for dogs running loose from $14 to $20.
- Agreed to have public works director Tim Makovec bring financial information about the possible purchase of a fleet service truck.
- Agreed to change the bylaws of the museum board to allow a nine member board.
- Accepted two new city code ordinances written by city attorney Susan Robson to clarify which city officers may live outside city limits. Council members will vote on them at a later meeting.