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Residents and organizers press Pipestone council over soccer-field upkeep, safety and fees
Summary
Residents and youth organizers told the Pipestone City Council July 6 they face recurring maintenance, safety and cost problems at the new soccer complex — including overflowing trash, undersized fields and a fire hydrant between two fields — and urged the city to coordinate with the school district and volunteers to resolve them.
Residents and organizers pressed the Pipestone City Council on July 6 about what they described as persistent maintenance and safety problems at the city’s newly established soccer complex.
Myron Poops, who identified his address during public comment, asked the council to make time for community voices when parks staff report on recreation projects. He flagged questions about painting, spraying, grass establishment and signage for donors at the sports site. “I would request that… the council would have the courtesy that if there’s any individual who would like to speak to that issue during or after that report, that you would use it,” Poops said.
Tyler Sawyer, who identified himself as a local organizer and former semi‑pro player, gave the council a detailed list of complaints and safety concerns. Sawyer said trash receptacles repeatedly overflow, volunteers pick up litter daily, and the fields are undersized for some age groups. “There is a fire hydrant that is a safety concern with two drain tiles. You guys can never shift your fields to rest them… the kids are not safe with a big yellow fire hydrant in the middle of that complex,” Sawyer told the council.
Sawyer also questioned the recurring $250 charge the city has passed through to cover painting by a robot‑operated line marker rented from the school district. He cited multiple alternative cost figures and use estimates during his remarks, saying the club has sometimes supplied paint or been asked to subsidize line‑painting costs. “We’ve had to beg them to paint the fields for us,” Sawyer said, urging the city to explore cheaper options or partnerships used in larger nearby cities.
City Administrator Stephanie (last name not stated in the transcript) responded with operational context: parks and public‑works staff have mowed, interseeded and sprayed the fields this spring; watering was reduced when rains were timely; and the city rents the school district’s painting equipment and passes the $250 charge on to the renter. She said signage recognizing donors (working with JBS) is in progress and that staff can add trash receptacles near goal areas. “If that’s something the council wishes us to do, we can do that,” she said.
Several other residents, including Joel and a man who introduced himself as Mark, urged further coordination among volunteers, parks staff and the school district. Council members asked staff to follow up with the recreation director and the school district and to ensure adequate trash pickup and mowing. The mayor asked speakers to coordinate directly with Stephanie to reach a solution.
The council did not take a formal vote on any operational changes at the meeting; members directed staff to follow up and said they will discuss maintenance budgets and options during the 2027 budget process. The mayor encouraged community members to participate in the upcoming budget hearing and to stay involved in coordination meetings with city staff.
Ending: Council members emphasized they wanted the fields to succeed and committed to staff follow‑up; they directed the city administrator and parks staff to meet with local organizers to resolve trash, painting, safety and scheduling concerns and to report back to the council.
