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Earlham council keeps Little League batting cage in place, directs park board to reconvene
Summary
The Earlham City Council decided April 22 to leave a proposed Little League batting cage in its current location and asked the Park and Recreation Board to reconvene, determine insurance and cost details, and report back during the budget season.
The Earlham City Council on April 22 decided to leave a proposed Little League batting cage in its current location and tasked the Park and Recreation Board with taking responsibility for park recommendations and insurance cost determinations.
Mayor Lillie opened the discussion by calling the batting cage a positive project for youth and the recreation park, acknowledged prior miscommunication about the project, and said she hoped the parties could move forward collaboratively. She said reestablishing the Park and Recreation Board was the council’s first priority and that the board, once active, would typically handle matters such as site placement and equipment oversight. Lillie said a meeting with the school about a 28E agreement had been held earlier in the week and that the board should include the cage’s cost in the city insurance discussion so coverage is clear.
Gary Coffman provided a clarification of the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) role related to the recreation park and explained why the batting cage location was changed after the original site had been submitted to the DNR; Coffman’s affiliation was not specified in the meeting record. Adam Smith and Charlie Lenze, speaking on behalf of the Little League, described the structure as 70 feet long, divisible into four separate practice lanes, and constructed with high-quality materials; they said the netting will be taken down during the off-season to extend its lifespan.
By the meeting’s end the council decided the batting cage would remain where it presently sits and directed the Park and Recreation Board to reconvene, make recommendations regarding the recreation park, determine cost and insurance implications, and report back during the budget season or sooner if issues arise. The council recorded the agenda-approval and adjournment motions as passed by unanimous roll call.
The meeting began at 6:30 p.m. at Earlham City Hall and adjourned at 7:03 p.m.
