After going back and forth nine times with revisions to an agreement, the city of East Ridge and the Hamilton County Board of Education found an arrangement to transfer the school athletic facilities to East Ridge that was mutually acceptable. On Thursday night at the East Ridge City Council meeting, the council voted unanimously to have the deed transferred to the city and to take over management and control and to provide improvements and maintenance to the facilities.
The transfer must still be approved by the County School Board and the County Commission.
East Ridge was interested in the transfer of the athletic complexes with the goal of improving them for city residents because they now are in a condition considered to be not suitable for playing. It was known that the school board had no money to improve them now or in the future. The city will get the title contingent to certain conditions including if the fields are not improved and dangerous conditions are not cured, then the school board can take them back. The city is confident it can make improvements starting right away, said Stump Martin, director of parks and recreation. The department has its own model at Camp Jordan to follow.
These facilities at East Ridge High School and East Ridge Middle School will now be available for use by East Ridge residents; however, the school activities get priority. Mr. Martin said that at the beginning of the year a calendar will be developed identifying game and practice times for the schools. During hours that the schools are closed, these tracks, fields and courts will be open to the public. There is not expected to be much of a conflict with league practice and tournaments since the seasons are usually at a different time of year than athletic seasons for the schools. This arrangement is seen as a way to bring recreational activities to the middle of East Ridge rather than it all being on the east end of the city at Camp Jordan.
Another condition is that the board of education reserves the right to sell the property, but if that is done, the fields that East Ridge has improved must be constructed or replaced by the county with fields of comparable quality at the time of the take-over.
The initial capital outlays will be $40,000, and in the new budget year, a current employee will be assigned to these facilities. The city does not expect to have to buy new equipment - it can use what it already owns, and there is some equipment at the schools. Tim James, the head football coach at the high school, told the council that maintenance would be a partnership between the schools and the city, and that the coaches would work in cooperation with the recreation department and kick in with the labor. Additionally, he said that the school teaches masonry, carpentry and plumbing and so improvements made could be used as a living classroom. Mr. Martin also expects that the publicity this project gets will also generate volunteers to help out.
Coach James told the council that the coaches plan to hold summer youth programs in the form of baseball, football and soccer camps. They will also organize regional league tournaments that will bring 50-60 teams to town for a few days that would generate substantial revenue for hotels and restaurants. And Mr. Martin believes he can generate a minimum of $17,000 in revenue from the added sports venues.
City Manager Scott Miller said this will be done without a tax increase. He said the fields will be made playable for both students and the public, but enhancements to the facilities will be carried out with money obtained from grants.
Coach James said he believes this is a “win-win for our kids.” The only chance he sees for improvements is relying on the generosity of the city, he said, and it is much appreciated.