Contributing writer
Tampa Mayor Tim Svoboda told Tampa City Council at their March 5 meeting that the Kansas City Royals have a website where grant applications for ball diamond renovations can be made.
“We’ve missed the first deadline of Feb. 1, but the second deadline is Aug. 1,” Svoboda said.
Svoboda along with Steve Jirak and Greg Berens had looked over the ball field to try to determine the feasibility of rearranging the field to put home plate at the southwest corner instead of the southeast. This would alleviate the problem of balls hitting houses across the street. Svoboda believes the whole field could be moved eastward enough to put bleachers on the west side.
These speculations were in response to Don Zaideman’s continuing complaints of damage to his house and vehicles from balls hit out of the field.
In February Zaideman told the council that the ball diamond stops at the fence.
“That’s the bottom line,” he said.
Another reason for considering application for a grant to renovate the field is the fact that ball players and council members feel that much of the fencing needs to be replaced due to rust and other wear.
“I think that if we’re going to take on a project this size we need to have everyone here to talk about it,” Russ Kerbs said.
Paul Backhus and Ty Peterson were absent from the meeting due to illness and work responsibilities, respectively. Therefore the matter was tabled until the April meeting.
The mayor also had the council members sign paperwork in connection with the application for a grant to replace deteriorated street signs. If the city receives the grant, it would fund 75 percent of the $6,000 cost. The city’s 25 percent could include volunteer labor to install the signs. Svoboda said he had received inquiries from Chris Stuchlik about service his sons might perform as part of their Eagle Scout projects, and installation of the signs might be something they could help with.
Svoboda had been told the council needed to authorize him and the city clerk to sign any documents necessary to obtain the grant. Wilbert Backhus moved and Don Zaideman seconded to give them the necessary authorization.
The mayor said the inspector who came to examine fire extinguishers said the law requires a class K extinguisher next to the stove’s hood in the kitchen of the senior center. This equipment would cost $280. Zaideman moved to purchase the extinguisher. On a second by Kerbs the motion carried.
Bills approved for payment included $58 for training for the sewer supervisor, Don Beisel, $184.50 for inspection of the fire extinguishers, $3,690 for insurance premiums and $478 for materials used in the senior center renovation, which will be paid from the Monsanto grant.
With the return of daylight saving time, council meetings will go to their summer hours. The April meeting will be at 8 p.m.
The enrollment period for the Conservation Reserve Program general sign-up began Monday and will continue through April 6 at the Farm Service Agency service center.
CRP is a voluntary program that assists farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers to protect their environmentally sensitive land. Producers enrolling in CRP plant long-term resource-conserving covers in exchange for rental payments, cost-share, and technical assistance.
Producers are encouraged to contact their local FSA service center of visit FSA’s website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/crp for additional information about CRP.