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Council finalizes terms for baseball club user agreement, raises per-player fee and tightens tractor access
Summary
Glenwood City staff and council members agreed to increase the baseball club per-player fee from $7.50 to $10 for 2025, conditionally expand mowing to three times per week if a fourth seasonal hire is filled, and add requirements that the club provide a list of authorized tractor operators, carry insurance and notify staff before using city equipment.
Council and parks staff spent the first part of the meeting finalizing a user agreement with the local baseball club that updates fees, field maintenance schedules and rules for use of city equipment.
Parks staff told the council the club had agreed to raise its per-player fee from $7.50 to $10 for 2025. Staff also proposed increasing mowing of ball fields from two times per week to three, but only "if the city has at least four seasonal mowing positions filled," a staff member said. That conditional language was added to the draft agreement to reflect staffing limits.
The council and staff focused at length on the club's use of a city tractor. The agreement will require the club to provide the city with a list of authorized operators, carry insurance, notify staff before using the equipment and sign a waiver or similar paperwork, council members said. A parks staff member said the intent is to limit use to dragging and mowing fields and to prevent nonapproved uses such as parking-lot work.
Councilors and staff described past problems with tractor misuse and maintenance. A staff member said, "There's literally a footprint on the hood of it," and recommended stricter limits and instructor-approved operators. Council members agreed to include language requiring the club to notify city hall if they cannot contact the parks worker on duty so staff are aware of planned equipment use.
Staff also flagged several operational items related to the fields: timing the water turn-on to avoid frozen pipes, a discounted delivery of lime to repair Field Five, tree trimming and a planned pre-season walkthrough. The parks supervisor said final painting and sealant work on restrooms and dugouts must wait for temperatures above 50 degrees.
The council directed staff to add the tractor-operator list, proof-of-insurance and notification procedure to the user agreement and to proceed with the other administrative updates needed before the season.
