ERC considers new fields
by Jason Johnston - jason@emporiagazette.com
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
A preliminary report about securing grants for a new ball complex in Northwest Park and an overview of the Lee Beran Recreation Center’s future financial outlook were discussed Monday evening at an Emporia Recreation Commission board meeting.
ERC director Tom McEvoy said assistant city manager Mark McAnarney and he worked together for a month to secure grants for a new $5.7 million baseball and softball complex at a park next to Jones Aquatic Center.
The complex would have four large mult-purpose fields and four smaller fields. It also would have a concession stand and a small playground.
“We’ve gone online,” he said. “Mark has agreed to work with me and start putting together some preliminary information to send off to some of the local foundations here in town.”
McEvoy said he found a possible grant with the Baseball Tomorrow Fund through Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. It awards $50,000 for renovations of old and new baseball diamonds. Another grant is with the Kansas City Royals for up to $5,000. This grant was suggested by Doug Vance, the executive director of Kansas Recreation and Parks Association.
He said he did not find any grants in Kansas.
McEvoy said even if they got the grants, it would be difficult to pay for the complex.
Some Kansas towns used sales tax referundums to fund athletic complexes, McEvoy said. Hays did a half-cent tax over a four-year period to build its complex, which is about $8 million.
Commission Chairman Jim Markowitz said he is not in favor of a sales tax increase or a property tax increase at this point.
In other action Monday, the recreation center has current maintenance obligations of $270,000 and future capital improvements of $105,000, he said. He wants to put money away for a new roof.
“The only way we can fund a $4 million project is a 20-year bond,”McEvoy said.
The bond for $4 million at 4 mills could generate $53,819 in capital projects per year on average for 20 years. Emporia would have to make $323,392 in bond payments. The center would require $297,257 in maintenance obligations.
Markowitz said he wants to maintain and improve the center. The city cannot afford a new facility because of the maintenance required each day.
McEvoy said the board for Two Rivers Youth Soccer Association signed the 10-year lease agreement between it and ERC that included a 60-day exit clause in case either party feels it needs to cancel the agreement.
sail (anonymous) says...
Can somebody put a bit in macks mouth and slow him down,now is not the time burden taxpayers MORE.
December 20, 2011 at 2:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodjoss (anonymous) says...
Well, it's not McEvoy who's pushing the idea (at least if you read their minutes and if you attended his public forum at the library in October). Certain elements (element) of the ERC board have this idea in mind... but there's no way ERC can afford the maintenance. This has been well researched by the ERC staff.
http://emporiarec.org/wp-content/uplo...
http://emporiarec.org/wp-content/uplo...
You can't always trust the less-than-thorough journalism from EG. (GASP!)
We (as a community) should fix what we have and make it better.
This is the wrong project, at absolutely the wrong time, in absolutely the wrong place.
December 20, 2011 at 8:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
What I don' t understand is, there are families and children going hungry, families and people loosing their homes because of the loss of jobs, as well as our government leaders spending beyond what is necessary and needed and entities such as ERC, RDA, etc., etc., who are " Wanting/Demanding " increased taxpayer funding and such funding to be financed via higher or extended taxes passed on to the already " Tax Strapped " taxpayers ! And where is their common sense thinking in even giving thought to a 5.7 million dollar baseball/softball complex ?
Do they really think that such a complex will create long term, well paying jobs for those Emporians who need jobs ? Will it feed those who are going hungry ? Will it provide a home for those who have lost their homes ?Will it provide some sort of tax relief for the already back, bank and pocket book breaking taxpayer tax burden ?
You bet they are not . In fact they are thinking of putting the taxpayers even futher under the tax burden/debt for 20 years to the tune of a 4 mil levy increase in taxes !
And all for a *@#%># playground, that someone apprently thinks will draw tourists to Emporia, just like the " Rocks " have drawn a large contingent of tourists to Emporia !
Well, in keeping with the spirit of the season, I say, " BAH HUMBUG " !
December 20, 2011 at 8:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
"Commission Chairman Jim Markowitz said he is not in favor of a sales tax increase or a property tax increase at this point."
You got that right, Jim. You want a revolution on your hands?
While I am not always against using sales taxes to fund certain projects to benefit our city, this one is too much like those silly rocks.
Grants? Ha! That still means taxpayers have to pay for other things related to the project down the road. Case in point: the fairgrounds and the new building.
Can't pay for anything at the library, but sports stuff is okay?
Not today, boys!
December 21, 2011 at 6:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Glitterbird (anonymous) says...
Somebody has money burning a hole in their pocket.
December 21, 2011 at 7:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
had to paste this here as it applies to this thread also.
You just don’t get it do you, Create?
1.
The extension office is seeking unlimited taxing authority to join a group of other offices
Who do you think will be paying for this?
2. Sullivan wants the county to take over drug counseling.
Who do you think will eventually pay for this?
3. ERC just got taxing authority last year and can’t seem to decide how to spend that money, so now some are talking sales tax increase or a bond issue for ball fields.
Who do you think will pay for that?
4. Newman regional health is going to lose $2,675,500 a year in federal funding.
Who do you think will be asked to make that up?
5. We are facing state budget cuts for education which means local districts will have to make up that loss.
Who do you think will pay for that?
6. Two local businesses have asked for tax exemptions for ten years.
Who do you think will make up for that loss of property tax?
7. The FEMA grant is still up in the air. Is the county covered on that?
If a worse case scenario happened and a company declared bankruptcy would the county have to pay that 1.6 million dollars? If so, who do you think would be paying it?
8. Property values are down in Lyon County and sooner or later the appraiser will have to adjust property valuations down which will mean less tax due the county and the need to increase the MIL-LEVY just to operate at current levels. Who’s going to be paying for that?
9. The temporary sales tax increase by the state will most likely become permanent in the next state session of the legislature.
10. The courthouse was paid off early but now the county wants to do another sales tax to help with the fairgrounds and the general budget, You seem to be all for that because you don’t want YOUR property taxes to go up. I have news for you create, the proposed county sales tax increase will not help keep your property taxes down.
My name is not MITT, but I would be willing to bet you a dollar that the county tax bill for 2013 will have a mil-levy of 170 or higher, probably much higher.
December 21, 2011 at 7:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
December 21, 2011 at 7:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fedup101 (anonymous) says...
Not to mention that emporia cant get enough kids to play baseball/softball to field teams anyway. All of the teams today are travelling teams and with the prices skyrocketing on everything pretty soon noone will be able to afford travel for sporting events. Although the major emphasis these days seems to be on sports. Not education (probably a big factor why the US is in the situation its in) and I have seen families neglect bill paying so they can send their kids to sports camps and trudge their kids all over hell and back to games. But I would think someday soon this will all have to come to an end when the money is completely gone.
December 21, 2011 at 8:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
Same old tired joke! We can tax ourselves into prosperity!
December 21, 2011 at 8:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Steve,
You're lumping too many things together to make one point and to shove it down my throat. I'm glad you're not involved in any governing entity or nothing would get done. All things have to be discussed individually according to their merit, not lumped all together for the sake of saying NO NEW TAXES.
Figure out a way for 47% of the people in this country to pay their fair share instead of paying NO TAXES AT ALL, and you just might be saying something.
To answer your question of "Who is going to pay..."
Not enough people pay their fair share. A great many are on the public dole. Many people are delinquent on their property taxes as well. So instead, we have to rely on sales taxes that are paid by everyone, including visitors to the community. It's how we spend that sales tax revenue that is the issue. Each is an individual situation, not all one big lump.
If it's nothing more than one big lump, then we'd better get to paying across the board tax for everyone, young, old, infirm, and poor. No deductions! That means you!!
December 21, 2011 at 8:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zapatajoaquin (anonymous) says...
Besides the taxpayers getting hit again. I am tired of only the Northwest part of Emporia getting all of this so called development. What percent of the total population lives in that area? What percent of the rest of the town actually benefits from these development? Oh ya they get to work there for minimum wage.
December 21, 2011 at 8:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Create,
I am not trying to shove anything down your throat, but you just made my point.
You do not see or refuse to see the big picture.
WE HAVE TO TAKE ALL MY ABOVE POINTS INTO CONSIDERATION !
Because in the end, they all add up to one thing. MORE TAXES.
Your points on who pays and what's a fair share are valid.
But my point is that both you and I pay now and will in the future, SO WE ARE THE ONES that are going to pay any increases.
Sure, our tax system could be more equitable, that's a good point.
For every idea that you or I think is worthwhile, there are a few thousand or more that think it stinks. And vice versa.
Yes I lumped a lot of things together, and did it without even mentioning the problems in the Federal government.
The reason we as a city, county, state and country are in this economic mess is entirely because of people thinking in a myopic view like you are.
We have to consider ALL of our actions we take now individually and as a sum game.
To not do so is shortsighted, and will further our economic and social problems.
December 21, 2011 at 9:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
And create, over the years I've taken the standard deduction, just like anyone else who pays income taxes. I do not itemize deductions. If the government wants to do away with that it's o.k. with me.
December 21, 2011 at 9:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Create is glad I am not involved in any governmental entity. That's ok. She may get a chance to cast her vote against me for county commissioner if Teresa runs again.
Just a thought !
December 21, 2011 at 9:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
93shocarguy (anonymous) says...
WOW, where to start...
I like to eat out, live in a nice, big, warm, comfortable house, drive a nicer, newer car, etc., etc. I'm sure we ALL do. What I'm having a very hard time understanding though is this...I was told earlier this week that my job in the local healthcare industry is probably going away soon (GREAT news this close to Christmas). If/when this happens, it means that my family will no longer be able to do many of the things we like. I don't have the option of asking for a handout (I guess I do, but I wont)the same way most of our local government does and it really ticks me off. My logical decision is to greatly reduce my spending ! ! ! I may have to sell my car, may lose my house, etc. I'd like to know where the hell Nelson and some of his buddies get off. We have EXISTING facilities (my kids use them often in the spring and summer). They could use some improvement, but lets try to figure out a way to use our existing city employees and purchase local materials (Shop Emporia First) to make these upgrades. PROVE to us how a brand new state of the art facility will improve the quality of life and generate enough income to pay for itself in a short period of time and I'll vote for it in a heartbeat, but I don't think that will happen. Common sense says when times are tough, pull in your roots and hunker down, get back on your feet, get your head back above water. I find it very difficult to believe this discussion is taking place right now, but then again my thoughts are taken back to the beautiful entrance rocks and how much income they have generated and how much pride they have instilled in our community >.
December 21, 2011 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
Ehh what the hell. Build it. I've never seen a city kill itself before. Might as well sit back and enjoy the show (just sucks I'm paying for it).
Matt
December 21, 2011 at 12:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
The whole " Spend it, to build it and " Tax them " to " Spend it " and " (They )will come " , attitude of our government leaders just isn' t working and will not work .
Matt, you are absolutely right, our so called gov' t. leaders are killing this City, as well as the country .
December 21, 2011 at 1:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Not long ago, an article appeared in this paper about a shortage of foster homes in our area.
I wonder if anyone gave a thought as to what causes this shortage? There must be a horrible thing going on out there for so many kids to be taken away from their families. What must those families be like?
If families do not raise their own children, then the government has to. Somebody has to pay for that. How does limited government figure in to this?
Not all those kids on those angel trees have good, decent families you know. And they need things all the time, not just once a year because their star is hanging on a tree in a store.
December 21, 2011 at 4:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Ball fields on South Ave- shut down, main field now a relatively ununsed skateboard "park".
Former Jones Park ball fields(3)- Never finished properly, razed years ago due to lack of funding to maintain or improve.
9th and Woodland Ball Field- Needed lighting that couldn't be afforded, razed to improve storm water drainage for the area.
Ball fields at Peter Pan Park- Gone
Ball Fields on Whittier St- Poorly maintained, needing attention.
Trusler Sports Complex- Nice addition when new, parking lot and facility now needing major repair work and maintainence is poorly handled with the exception of the ESU Baseball diamond that is very nice.
Having troubles maintaining the soccer fields, getting funding to support that facility that is looking like a train wreck.
Now they want me to get behind another money pit they cannot afford to maintain?
Wake up Emporia, now is not the time to be spending and building another little used over priced facility on over priced land.
December 21, 2011 at 4:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
honeybadger (anonymous) says...
1. Methusla what in the world are you talking about.
2. There is no way you are going to find enough grants to build this new park without it looking like the field that the kids from Sandlot played on, so just fix what you have and be done with it.
3. The reason Emporia never can get anything done is because of certain city officials pushing the things that need to be done aside for the things that are absolutely unnecessary (Northwest Park)
December 21, 2011 at 4:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Medicare bilked of millions upon millions.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45754719/...
Who's watching? Who's checking on all these claims?
Oh, pardon me, we want more limited government!
Get ready for more of the same.
December 21, 2011 at 5:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Steve,
You touched on something I have been speaking about for awhile, property values. Contrary to what Reddog says, Emporia housing has taken a huge hit, and will continue to devalue as more industry vacates the area.
I have never understand why it is not a criminal offense to tax a property at an inflated value. Emporia will have to alter it's valuations sooner or later and you are correct in your assumption that this will result in valuations declining thus necessitating an increase to operate at current levels, this will happen because our leader are not intelligent enough to see this coming and prepare.
When I denounced the rocks I said the money would have better been spent on ball fields of something of that nature. I look at this town and it just makes me sick, instead of positioning ourselves to land the big fish company that could revitalize the area Emporia is pissing it all away. I really do feel that when Dolly declares bankruptcy again we will lose the plant here in a restructuring effort, not just the jogs that were supposed to leave, all of them, and it will be the nail in the coffin of this town. Tax burdens will ascend to disproportionate levels for a city of this size and income capita.
People will go where the jobs are and it is not here:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-popul...
This was once a place I wanted to raise my family and put down roots, the last 10 years alone have totally wrecked this notion. My question to the commissioners is this: Do you realize that there are many more like me and what are you prepared to do to change my mind?
December 21, 2011 at 8:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Good post, goodoleboy. The serious thing about your last statement is that many of those who are about to change their minds are professionals like teachers and medical people we can't afford to lose.
Yeah, and we buy rocks! Those who purchased those damn things should be reminded of their stupidity forever.
Real estate agents tell lies all the time because their bottom line is the money, money, money they might make on a sale.
December 22, 2011 at 4:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
honeybadger,
Let me see if I can explain, what I am talking about .
1. Grants, mean nothing. Especially government grants, as they are funded by taxpayers in the first place. And are given to those who should be allowed to fail, as their failure is usually of their own greedy, making anyway.
2. Grants from entities, such as K.C. Royals, or any sports oriented organizations is money paid by " the people " to watch overgrown, overaged " Kids " play a game, via inflated admission prices and concession prices, as well as riduculously over paid athletes . And most of the time these grants are but a pittance of what the cost of a particular project actually is .
3. NRH is and has been asking for or demanding tax funding to stay afloat for at least the last 3 to 4 years. Now the ECR wants to build a $5.7 million sports complex. The K.C. Royals will provide a grant of $5,000 and Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. It awards $50,000 for renovations of old and new baseball .
4. “The only way we can fund a $4 million project is a 20-year bond,”McEvoy said. Therefore, this $4 million dollars will be " financed " via a bond, to the tune of a 4mil tax levy for 20 years.
5. This means either a property tax increase or a sales tax increase or both !
And now the City, County leaders need to make a priority decision.
That decision being which would be of more benefit to the County and Community ?
A. Saving an established Health Care Facility, which is an absolute NEED -- or --
B. Spending $ 5.7 million to build a sports complex/playground, in hopes of drawing visiting teams/tourists ?
C. Which investment will create or keep jobs in the area ?
This is what I meant by my statement,
The whole " Spend it, to build it and " Tax them " to " Spend it " and " (They )will come " , attitude of our government leaders just isn' t working and will not work .
I am not particularly ecstatic about paying more taxes . But if I must and am forced to do so, then I do not mind paying for something that is of definate NEED/NECESSARY , such as having/keeping a good, needed Health Care Facility alive and operating in Emporia.
However if the county deems it necessary to " Bail Out " NRH with taxpayer funds, I believe that the County should insist that a County sponsered " Comptroller " be put in charge of NRHs' operating expenditures and receipts . Thereby effectively making NRH a county/taxpayer owned/operated facility .
JMO
December 22, 2011 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
YES, WE MUST DO MORE !
We have to get these fields built so foster kids can play baseball. Let's try to get medicare to pay the cost of them, no one is looking.
Retired people with big houses need to adopt some foster kids to help out year round, not just at Christmas.
With a 1/2 dozen kids a person could force them to piece together 2 or 3 quilts a day. It could be a regular quilting sweatshop . All proceeds could go to a ball field fund.
There, I took care of every ones problems.
Your Welcome ;>)
December 22, 2011 at 8:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Just keep stirring. You're very good at it. Before long you'll have brittle or fudge or something brown and hard.
December 22, 2011 at 10:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Ah ha !
Now I know who put that flaming Christmas present on my porch. Yes I had to stomp it out.
I felt like that little kid who said on Christmas morning, I know there has to be a pony around here somewhere. Look at all the horse $hit. ;>)
December 22, 2011 at 11:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )