Plans for fairgrounds ball diamonds unclear after participants raise competing claims

Meeting participants discussed rumors that the local fairgrounds might remove its ball diamonds to build an equestrian structure, but participants said no formal plans were presented and no policy action was taken.

The discussion matters because the ball diamonds and adjacent fields host community sports and recreation; any change could affect youth leagues, soccer players and other local users. Participants also reported conflicting information about whether the city or fairgrounds had plans for the site.

One participant, Speaker 1, said, “The fairgrounds is gonna get rid of the ball diamonds and put up a horse building or something.” Speaker 2 responded that they had heard different information: “Steve Boss indicated to me shortly after that there's no talk of that, no plans.” Speaker 2 added that the fairgrounds had not formally approached the meeting’s participants about changes: “We never approached them about it. So we of course, we could use a room, but it's been there. We're willing to keep it there.”

During the exchange, Speaker 2 also relayed that they believed a long-range plan might call for repurposing the athletic areas: “I'm not sure. Their long range plan is to do that. The baseball fields or the I think they wanna do them. The whole wreck like The whole wreck. Soccer and all that kind of stuff there.” That characterization was offered as a report of what the participant had heard, not as confirmation of an official plan.

No motion or vote concerning changes to the fairgrounds was made during the meeting. The only formal action recorded in the transcript was a motion to adjourn, made by Schulte and seconded by Elmer's, which passed on a voice vote.