Frustrated aldermen try to decide on summer sports in face of pandemic uncertainty

New Albany aldermen voted to cancel some, but not all, sportsplex activities for the summer Tuesday after close to an hour’s discussion marked by frustration and diverse opinions.

Ultimately, Little League, the spray park and a car show scheduled for May 24 were cancelled. A decision on Grand Slam baseball and the Cotton States program was delayed.

The Little League decision was complicated in that parents had already registered about 500 children for the program, paying about $25,000 in total entry fees that would go for T-shirts, officials and other expenses.

Teams had yet to be selected, however.

Another factor was the governor’s policy, which has changed and may again.

“The governor said baseball could not play, but could practice,” Mayor Tim Kent said, adding the main problem was the spectators being crowded together.

“We would have somebody watching but they probably would get within six feet anyway,” Kent said.

One possibility was to not cancel the program right now in hopes the situation would improve, but that might leave the city stuck with all the T-shirts if cancellation was necessary.

Time is also a factor.

“If we wait until June, everybody will be gone,” park and rec director Johnny Epting said. He added that Union County cancelled their summer program two or three weeks ago. Some neighboring towns have also cancelled, while others are still waiting to decide.

Some parents are already asking for their money back if the program is to be cancelled, and some may need the money due to coronavirus-related layoffs or loss of income.

Mayor Kent said the city can refund the money but it will take some time. That’s because the city does not keep a large number of the required counter checks on hand and some will have to be printed. The payments probably can’t be made until next month, anyway.

Finally, aldermen voted to cancel the Little League program and refund the money on a 3-2 split vote.

Action on the Grand Slam and Cotton States program was delayed since they would fall later in the summer and don’t involve parents’ fees. They will be discussed at the June board meeting.

That left the car show and spray park.

Because the car show would be coming up in little more than a couple of weeks, it and the opening of the spray park were cancelled for the summer on a 4-1 vote. Part of the spray park decision was due to the fact that the facility was going to need fairly extensive repair work anyway if it were to be used this year.

All the officials said they want the kids to be able to play in the various programs but must consider the health issue.

Ward Three Alderman Kevin Dale White thought everything should be cancelled.

Ward Two Alderman Johnny Anderson thought all programs should be cancelled if some are, otherwise it would not be fair.

The fact that the governor is apparently allowing tennis and golf to be played is seen as unfair to some, even though those two sports can be played with more social distancing and do not draw large, tightly-packed crowds.

“We don’t’ know what we’re doing. The world doesn’t know what it’s doing,” Ward One Alderman Amy Livingston said. She said they are having to weigh mental health, economic health and physical health, and just need to take things on a case-by-case basis.

And as Alderman Anderson noted, “It’s not our decision to make anyway. We are following what the governor says.” City officials are bound by the governor’s order in that they cannot issue any less-restrictive measures, but they can make local orders more restrictive.

Departmental business

In other business, aldermen briefly discussed the street improvement program, which has not been pushed the past couple of months due to pandemic concerns.

Mayor Kent reminded aldermen that about $1 million is available, giving each alderman $200,000 to work with. He had asked previously for a list of streets each thought should be priorities in their districts and some had been submitted but he asked for a final list this week.

Although the mayor had issued a spending freeze on non-essential items during the pandemic, the money in question can only be used for street repairs anyway and was already in place. Some streets will be resurfaced while others will use a newer process called cape seal, which is slightly less expensive. Kent said the company doing the cape seal needs to schedule its work very soon.

In other department business, the light, gas and water department is moving ahead with facility plans that have been in the works for some time.

The electric department has purchased about five acres on Hwy. 348 a short distance past the present New Albany and TVA substations. This will be used to construct a new New Albany electric substation to replace the obsolete present one, and separate it from the TVA facility.

Manager Bill Mattox said there is a house on the property that may have some material value but needs to be removed. Aldermen agreed to let him take bids to either have the structure demolished or moved.

Mattox also got approval to select an architect for renovation of the former Fred’s building to be used as a light, gas and water office as well as a police department. The architect may also help with exterior renovation of the auto sales building at the former sale barn on East Bankhead Street. The department had purchased the barn to house equipment and will use the separate building for office space.

Mattox said he received proposals from five firms, all of which are good, but the one which had done more was Eley Barkley Dale from Oxford. The principal architect would be Ross Barkley, a New Albany native.

The board approved this recommendation.

They also approved low bids for construction and renovation of the auto sales building to proceed.

Mattox received approval to pay more bills on the Marshall County gas expansion and new wastewater treatment plant project, telling aldermen that about $700,000 was left over from the gas project bond issue. It will be used to add more gas lines in Union County.

He also got permission to add Andy Dillard to the department’s bank account signature list, as Dillard has been hired as new utility office manager.

Police Chief Chris Robertson received permission to sell an old ambulance on the Govdeals auction website. He said the ambulance had been donated to use as a SWAT vehicle, but on further inspection it was found that repairs would be more extensive and costly than the vehicle would be worth.

Aldermen approved routine monthly items such as minutes and the claims docket, although Ward Two Alderman Johnny Anderson noted that the city has gone over its $50,000 budget for the year by about $5,000 in paying the Orion Group for work on a comprehensive plan. Mayor Kent said the fee was spread over part of two years so it was only this year that had a problem. Some officials had lauded a new plan while others thought the current plan adequate.

In other business, aldermen approved a list of people with outstanding delinquent fines, which will be turned over to the state tax commission. The state may then take those owed fines from any tax refunds for the individuals.

Finally, Mayor Kent said an agreement had been reach with an Indianola company to remove the debris from the old grocery warehouse demolished near the museum. The company will not charge a fee but will keep all the material except for 10,000 bricks to be left to the museum. The mayor said the city had been getting some complaints about the site being an eyesore and also the museum needed to move ahead with plans for the location.

Before adjourning, the board went into executive session to discuss an undisclosed personnel issue and any possible action concerning the coronavirus emergency order. It was not known at this writing whether any action was taken.

The May board meeting was held following precautionary procedures through teleconferencing and by phone as well, causing some confusion and delays as all those involved often had trouble hearing others’ comments.