[Vision2020] Questions About the Ball fields

[J Ford]

In regards to the Ball fields:

(1) Mr. Curtis mentioned that when there are games at Mt. View, the parking 
lot "spills over to the street up and down from the park" - has anyone done 
a parking survey to see just how many cars this involves?  Is the City sure 
that 306 parking spaces are going to be enough in the new area proposed?  Is 
Palouseriver Drive going to be widened to accommodate 306 (+) cars coming 
into a basically residential area?

(2) During tournaments, especially those involving out of town teams 
(presumably increasing the amount of people in town) is the City going to 
hire additional police officers to handle the increase in traffic problems 
and the possibility that people will bring their own alcohol thereby 
increasing the traffic issues in that part of town?  Is the City proposing 
that the police we now have would all be assigned to the ball fields, 
thereby leaving the rest of the town unsupported?

(3) Are each of the fields going to have their own PA system and has the 
City (anyone?) done a survey to see what kind of "noise pollution" this 
would cause and just how far the noise will travel?

(4) Mr. Clyde indicated that he approached the City with the offer of the 
land purchase for use as ball fields after the UI "turned us down and hung 
up on us." - was any other area ever considered by the City and if so, what 
were the prices of those properties? (this one cost the City $152K.)

(5) IF the City is able to construct a "smell barrier" to cut down the smell 
we have to deal with around the treatment center IF a land swap were done 
with the UI, why can't they do that now without the land swap?  Why does it 
have to occur just with the development of ball fields?  I don't know about 
anyone else, but that smell can be very overwhelming at times - almost 
burning.  Why doesn't the City take care of that without it being tied to a 
sports site?

(6) While I agree that Ball fields are important and needed, why can't we 
improve the ones we have before we spend $2.6M on a new set of ones?  What 
does this mean for the ones we have now - will they be ignored or just 
dropped from use?

I know I risk getting booed out of town, but I don't feel like the creation 
of new ball fields is important enough to put other items on the back burner 
- this city needs roads improved, lighting improved in neighborhoods and the 
treatment plant improved.  While sports can contribute to a child's 
education, I do NOT feel like it is important enough to pour this amount of 
money and City Staff effort into.

I also resented Mr. Curtis' attitude towards the people that disagreed with 
him.  He was flippant, rude and disingenuous in his treatment of people at 
the meeting last night and I believe he needs to apologize to the citizens 
of Moscow.


J  ;)

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