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Pacific Soccer Association seeks up to $7,000 reimbursement for Liberty Field repairs; board will forward request to aldermen
Summary
Pacific Soccer Association requested reimbursement for major field maintenance at Liberty Field — removing clay, hauling in 14 tandem loads of topsoil, deep aeration and reseeding — and the park board voted to forward the request to the Board of Aldermen with a do‑not‑exceed $7,000 figure and a proposed 50/50 split.
Tom Seel, speaking for the Pacific Soccer Association, asked the park board on Oct. 14 for financial help to repair worn spots at Liberty Field, asking the board to approve reimbursement — rather than an up‑front check — for materials and contracted work once the project is complete.
Seel said the problem is white clay in high‑traffic areas that prevents grass roots from establishing. He described a plan to remove a 4–6 inch layer of clay from concentrated traffic zones, spread that clay into low spots outside the playing areas, and bring in 14 tandem loads of topsoil to support new fescue grass. The scope also includes deeper core aeration than the board’s customary spring work, and heavier seeding and fertilizing timed for a November–December window if weather permits.
"What we're wanting to do this year is come in and actually cut that clay ... do about a 4 to 6 inch cut just in those areas," Seel said, and added that contractors and volunteers will donate labor and equipment. He told the board his group expects to submit an invoice after the work is complete and requested reimbursement up to a $7,000 cap; he said he was seeking a 50/50 split with the city.
Board members discussed timing, budget lines and authority. With staff member Chris absent, members said a final funding decision would need endorsement by the Board of Aldermen because it exceeds what staff can authorize alone. The board voted to forward the group's reimbursement request to the Board of Aldermen with the condition that any reimbursement be "do not exceed $7,000" and that the project be completed and invoiced before reimbursement.
The board asked Seel to submit his contractor invoices (TJM Construction and John Stricker were named by Seel) and contact information; Seel said he and his contractors would donate labor and asked only for material reimbursement. Members discussed possible funding sources, including park improvement funds and reimbursement from a partial pool contract return, and asked staff to check the current budget line items before the aldermen meeting.
Next steps: The park board will send the request and packet to the Board of Aldermen for formal approval; Seel will return with a completed project invoice for reimbursement if weather permits the work this winter.
