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Board raises concerns about hosting ESD cross-country meet on Mitchell course
Summary
The board discussed a request from Corey Odlin to host the ESD cross-country meet at the golf course next fall, citing previous damage from spectators, limited restroom facilities, and risks to new turf; members asked staff to get mitigation strategies and return with details before any vote.
Board members discussed a request from Corey Odlin to host the ESD cross-country meet at the Mitchell golf course next October and voiced reservations grounded in prior experience.
Staff said the meet would provide a more challenging course for some schools, but board members recalled past events that damaged turf and strained clubhouse restroom capacity. Multiple members emphasized that the primary risk comes from fans and bystanders moving repeatedly across turf areas rather than runners, and they worried about policing spectator movement and protecting recently installed turf and tee boxes where municipal funds were invested.
Members asked staff to obtain details and mitigation plans from the event organizer (Corey Odlin) and to identify alternative sites (Pepsi Complex and others were mentioned). No formal vote was taken; staff will follow up with the organizer and return to the board with answers and any proposed conditions or restrictions before scheduling a decision.
The exchange highlighted a tension between hosting community athletics and protecting course assets; several board members were open to hearing mitigation proposals but signaled reluctance to authorize an event that risks expensive damage to the course.
