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Residents urge council to repair Cass Park; council schedules joint meeting with Parks & Recreation
Summary
Longtime residents detailed safety and maintenance problems at Cass Park — from a rotting pavilion ceiling to hazardous gravel in the baseball infield — and council agreed to hold a joint meeting with the Parks & Recreation board to set priorities, compile cost estimates and clarify who is responsible for repairs.
Patty Herman, a longtime resident, told the City of Swisher council the town’s Cass Park “is not in very good shape” and read a list of needed repairs including a roof that needs new shingles, rot in the pavilion ceiling, a gap in the outfield fence and a scoreboard that does not work.
Herman said the infield is “a gravel field” that has hardened into rock, creating safety hazards for players, and asked whether the Parks & Recreation board has sufficient budget authority to make needed fixes. “If they need additional money or if they have different [needs], come to council and ask for it,” a council member said during the discussion.
Council members and staff discussed the park board’s budget line items — operating supplies, grounds maintenance, and building repairs — and noted that the board does have some limited funds but might need additional appropriations for larger work such as a new fence or a regraded infield. Council asked staff to compile a single, prioritized list of needed repairs and requested cost estimates and contractor quotes so the council can consider budgeting work over multiple years.
The council also discussed using volunteers for lower-risk tasks, but emphasized that volunteers must sign waivers and that safety and liability need to be managed. A staff member noted that the city has a volunteer waiver process and suggested volunteer projects be coordinated through recognized groups (youth sports, Willows, the Men’s Club) to make insurance and oversight clearer.
In response to residents’ concerns, the council agreed to schedule a joint meeting with the Parks & Recreation board to define responsibilities, confirm what the city maintenance crew will handle versus park volunteers or youth groups, and create a multi-year maintenance plan. Staff were asked to collect a consolidated list of park repairs and to gather contractor quotes—especially for the fence and roofing work—so the council can identify the funding source and timeline.
The council’s next procedural step is the planned joint meeting; council members said items that can be accomplished with existing operating funds may be scheduled sooner, while larger capital work would be considered in the next budget cycle.
