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Residents call for more youth fields; concession contract dispute raises funding questions
Summary
Little League volunteers told commissioners Harris County lacks enough practice and tournament-quality fields for growing youth sports; a citizen presented concession-bid figures and said a Pepsi award would have generated materially more fundraiser revenue than the chosen provider, a decision the recreation board handles under its bylaws.
Residents and Little League officials told Harris County commissioners the county is short on youth sports fields and urged expedited planning and private‑public partnerships to create tournament-ready venues. A separate speaker presented concession-bid documents and said the rec board’s recent beverage contract choice reduced potential fundraising revenue for fields.
“Right now, we're at 800 kids in our little league program,” said Caleb Brewer, a Little League board member and volunteer, describing a program with roughly 70 teams and limited practice time across existing fields. “Some of the fields we have three teams to practice on. That's kinda dangerous.” Brewer urged commissioners to explore public‑private partnerships and other revenue sources to build more fields and host tournaments that bring hotel and restaurant revenue.
Trent Davidson, who said he was asked by citizens and athletic board members to speak, distributed a Pepsi bid and asserted that, on the pricing figures he had, a Pepsi contract would have yielded materially more concessions revenue (he estimated tens of thousands of dollars) than the contract the rec board ultimately accepted. Davidson said the rec board controls concessions bidding and awards according to its bylaws, and he urged greater transparency because concession revenue, he said, could be directed toward field improvements.
County staff and commissioners clarified the rec board’s role: commissioners do not directly award concession contracts for recreation concessions; the rec board acts pursuant to its bylaws and handles the five‑year bidding cycle. Commissioners said some capital projects are in the pipeline — including plans for a new football field, a community center with pickleball courts and a baseball field, and upgrades at Pine Mountain Valley Park — but added that those projects will take multiple years to fund and complete through the county’s SPLOST (special-purpose local-option sales tax) and other revenue planning.
Recreation staff also noted existing fields beyond the county-owned inventory: municipal fields in Pine Mountain and Waverhall, and privately owned fields at Catawba U Sports and other partners that may offer additional capacity if agreements are arranged.
Commissioners and staff recommended that volunteers meet with the recreation director and assistant director to review timelines, funding options, and possible public‑private partnership models. The commissioners said they welcome fundraising proposals and offers from private donors but urged interested citizens to go through the recreation department so projects align with permitting, timelines and long-term maintenance plans.
Ending: Commissioners acknowledged a shortage of youth-sports practice and tournament fields, urged coordination with recreation staff on near- and long-term plans, and reiterated that concession contracts and fundraising are administered by the rec board under its bylaws rather than by the commission.
