[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6648684,"mediaKeyId","2626991-e24d4279f6cd824a90b21396cbf932ec","parentId",2626991,"title","New STEEN Sports Complex leadership seeks grants, field repairs to revive tournaments","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",851000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2626991-e24d4279f6cd824a90b21396cbf932ec&start=851&end=851","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2626991-e24d4279f6cd824a90b21396cbf932ec/thumbnail_851000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6648684/Klamath-County/Oregon/New-STEEN-Sports-Complex-leadership-seeks-grants-field-repairs-to-revive-tournaments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6648684-dca4898e58b030fbbbee5fbfccbd0e2c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445432&Signature=Lwh-sEvmVipIZQc2obOWERWbwVO2MyCoEE-~nJTnR7iqQrg-AD4RwwRkY8Y~ztEAckq-hBqUTLWfboWJ4HlrryKM60jRUlXEqCvDW27uba~SUCnpqToS~-q~IuowYP9xVJpE1YD0eWB2yi2-IL68t8XqpkTfx6bJAsH7vEfATZBY3G9Xte6AkI1aVWhzx1l~gwHpzttBK8kmso7YYukf3~FzFpsGdfkbn05MAkw2zlzMtE1QOKgYeOv~phPxo45i90gQDofi6KKDS-sqsf7wKux4GBEIZFV7xmcuiSqlrtrFleOleVF9TwwDXwQtyyaI2zft8ZA7GZtOf21OXx2n3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Klamath County","date","2025-02-12T13:37:13.747Z","article","Dana Ouellette, newly elected president of STEEN Sports Complex, told the Klamath County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 29 that the complex is under new leadership and is pursuing a mix of grants, programming and facility repairs to restore tournaments and revenue.

\"We only have 1 remaining board member that has sat on the board for many, many years,\" Ouellette said, describing a significantly reconstituted volunteer board and renewed focus on operations.

Why it matters: The STEEN Sports Complex, also described as Klamath County Youth Sports Complex, hosts tournaments and local programs that draw families and visiting teams. Board members said tournaments and improved programming could bring substantial tourism spending to the county and stressed the need for capital improvements to host more events.

Funding and priorities: Ouellette said the board is finishing work to close out ARPA funding and has hired a grant writer. Current priorities include developing a master plan, seeking a minimum of $100,000 in grant funding this year, allocating $30,000 for immediate field improvements (with Field 2 cited as in need of full excavation and replanting) and $20,000 for new equipment.

Operations and revenue: Board members outlined revenue-generating programs: a batting-cage membership at $225 per year, cage rentals at $100 per hour, use by Oregon Tech teams, winter academies and plans for more tournaments. The board said one recent tournament generated roughly $10,000–$11,000 after expenses; they expect some weekend events to net about $7,000 for the park. They also noted the Harold Howard tournament historically brought 60 teams to Klamath County.

Challenges and management: The group described past management as volunteer-driven and not run as a sustainable business, which they said limited marketing, scheduling and revenue capture. Ouellette said the board is updating the website and social-media access and recovering control of accounts to improve outreach to visiting teams.

County response and next steps: Commissioners thanked the volunteers and offered to help facilitate conversations with county staff and potential partners. The board asked the county for assistance identifying excavation contractors and other resources that might be available during off months to complete immediate field work ahead of the May tournament calendar. No formal county funding commitment or vote was made at the work session.

Ending: The STEEN board said it will continue work with its grant writer and return to county staff with more detailed budgets and a proposed master plan; county commissioners expressed willingness to help connect the board with resources.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","1-29-2025 BOCC Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Newly elected leaders of STEEN Sports Complex told Klamath County commissioners they are pursuing grant funding, field renovations and business-oriented programming to restore tournaments and generate sustainable revenue.","taxTitle","Klamath County, Oregon","taxId",52087,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6648688,"Klamath County hears proposal to assign single department to manage Spence Mountain",623,69825,692915,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2626991-e24d4279f6cd824a90b21396cbf932ec&start=69&end=692","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2626991-e24d4279f6cd824a90b21396cbf932ec/thumbnail_69825.jpg","/articles/6648688/Klamath-County/Oregon/Klamath-County-hears-proposal-to-assign-single-department-to-manage-Spence-Mountain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6648688-d9e88ae5fdf0258edfb7469cf05ed673/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445432&Signature=IrYUDZdDZKIaDV4XJImzlL4Yhll-sxPvt4rttTmphv5GPuhWaxd0FpxPV8VG985~aKKTzdLRu5ph~7A8qhJIU~RcKFTuy7S8hU32v8X1-ZO-veAhX3CqcnIIsuMo497YB~-5liXjn7hbp8RKAl7ud-2N4e2kNrFFOsRX3B2KT9GzZEEShmxb3jepqH55NjChjeg2LglEYaQWB5q62nuzRsWMS65lf5TRkZ5DJCnc0sPAZ-X5SsXVu-Sr-7heNjExrhpTrxpXid90wIUnYtGK6EDenRWXc~hnRFJ1tvR-yjzgXG0BPLxQEZeTekQhmc~8pOn5rTZUE5E72Ui5LTuVww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Drew Hansel, representing the Spence Mountain Maintenance Advisory Committee, urged Klamath County commissioners at their Jan. 29 work session to designate a single county department to oversee Spence Mountain, an asset he said was appraised “for something over $6,000,000” when acquired two years ago.

The advisory committee told the board the site receives about 9,200 recreation visits a year and that nonlocal visitors account for roughly $900,000 in spending. Committee members said the panel meets only four times a year and lacks formal authority and a clear county point of contact for emergencies, contracts and grant implementation.

\"When it was acquired 2 years ago, I think it was appraised for something over $6,000,000 and that value should only grow as our timber resource grows,\" Hansel said.

Why it matters: Committee members said recent and anticipated grants require timely procurement and on-the-ground work—forest thinning and repair of forest roads—during a narrow implementation window in late spring and early summer. The committee recommended creating a centralized county point person or assigning oversight to a single department so deadlines and contractor work are not missed during staff transitions.

Options discussed and staff capacity: Hansel described uncertainty over whom outside agencies should contact in an emergency or for work—property management, public works, or another office—and said transitions risk losing institutional knowledge. He cited other Oregon counties that use different models: forestry departments in Coos County, Hood River County and Josephine County; in some places public works or a parks department handle oversight; one county referenced in the discussion was named as handling oversight through its solid waste office.

At the meeting, commissioners said they were open to an interim solution. One commissioner suggested moving oversight temporarily under the county’s Public Works department, citing the department’s equipment and capacity for road and vegetation work. Commissioners asked staff to confer with Public Works Director Jeremy and other relevant staff and return with recommendations at a board meeting in roughly two weeks.

Staff and committee concerns: Committee members and county staff present, including county finance staff liaison Kirby Garlitz, said piecemeal responsibility complicates bidding, contracting and grant implementation. Hansel said the committee is poised to implement grant-funded projects and that the ideal implementation window for the current grant work is roughly April through June.

Next steps: Commissioners agreed to put the item on an upcoming agenda with a proposed interim structure, and to return with a job description or plan if the board pursues a new or part-time recreation coordinator or other administrative structure. No formal motion or vote was recorded at the work session.

Ending: The board directed staff to develop options and bring them back to a future meeting; committee members emphasized the time-sensitive nature of upcoming grant work and forest-season constraints.","An advisory committee urged Klamath County commissioners to designate one county department to oversee Spence Mountain, citing growing recreational use, recent grant work and a narrow window this spring to complete forest-thinning and road repairs.","actionData","errors"]

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New STEEN Sports Complex leadership seeks grants, field repairs to revive tournaments

Klamath County hears proposal to assign single department to manage Spence Mountain