HomeNews Damascus approves lease of property to Washington County for ball fields
Damascus approves lease of property to Washington County for ball fields
Damascus approves lease of property to Washington County for ball fields
Thursday, Jun 21, 2007 - 03:00 AM
BY Debra McCown
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Bristol Herald Courier
BY DEBRA McCOWN
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
DAMASCUS – People shouted and honked car horns for more than an hour outside Damascus Town Hall Wednesday evening while the town council met to discuss a proposed recreation complex.
The crowd – more than a hundred members of local Little League teams – left the meeting happy. As first reported on TriCities.com Wednesday night, council members unanimously approved a lease agreement that will enable the project to move forward.
Applause followed an announcement that the fields will be built.
“I’m very happy, but I’m still a little uneasy until I actually see construction,” said Melissa Morrison, president of the Damascus Community Little League.
“There is a major need for the fields. That’s the bottom line.”
The plan is for the town to provide land and the county to provide money to develop and maintain four playing fields on eight acres of the Bayer property, which the county plans to lease.
Both town and county officials have backed the project, but they disagreed on who would control the property.
The details of the lease agreement have been in disagreement between town and county officials in recent months.
After a two-hour work session Wednesday afternoon, officials reached an agreement that was unanimously approved by the council in a called meeting Wednesday evening.
“I am tickled to death with the finished product,” said Town Councilman Johnny Blevins, who initially expressed concerns about the agreement. “I think our kids are going to benefit from it.”
Supervisor Jack McCrady said the lease agreement will go before the Washington County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday at their regular meeting.
“This will allow everybody to get past all the issues and the fight there’s been, that’ll all be past, and move forward and hopefully make a good impression on our children,” McCrady said.
He said he expects the board will approve the agreement and the county will begin a site plan.
Here are some specifics of the agreement:
The county will lease eight acres from the town for $1 for a 25-year term.
The complex will include a lighted Little League field, a Little League softball field, a T-ball field and a soccer/football practice field.
No fees will be charged, except for events involving teams from out of town for which lights are used.
The town will have use of the property during Trail Days and 10 other days during the year, and can request additional days.
No campfires, livestock or motor vehicles will be allowed on the playing fields.
The town will maintain ownership of the existing bath house; the county will construct a second bath house for use with the recreation complex.
Either party may end the lease with 120 days’ notice, leaving control and maintenance of the complex up to the town.
