by Julie Perry
Last Updated: January 11, 2006
Recreational activities could be improved in Marysville if the City Council and Marysville Sport and Recreation LLC can reach a contractual agreement.
The Council agreed at Monday night’s meeting in the City Building to have City Attorney John McNish create a contract based on the proposal presented by Marysville Sport and Recreation LLC, and have it ready for the Jan. 23 council meeting.
The company is owned by Marc Degenhardt, Pam Schroller and Max Searcey, all of Marysville. The private business would take care of community recreational services for all ages for $55,000 a year.
Marysville has contracted recreational services with three other individuals in the past three years. This company would be the fourth in four years. Yearly the council has had issues with how recreational programs, all youth-based, have been run. In October the council turned down a $32,500 proposal from Bill Phillippi, Marysville, and agreed to advertise for six weeks within the city and surrounding towns. MSR’s proposal was the only detailed bid received by the recreation board.
Degenhardt said that MSR eventually would like to combine the city’s recreational facilities into one complex, which would mean moving soccer and flag football from the industrial park to Lakeview Sports Complex.
The company’s goals are to increase the recreation programs now offered and participation; operate from a downtown location; have a Web site; health education; designate Lakeview as an economic development facility to attract events and economically enhance local businesses and city revenue; make improvements to Lakeview in the parking lot, install safety nets and shade, adapt the fields to be baseball and softball compliant, general maintenance, improve picnic shelters and improve the sand volleyball courts.
Schroller said that MSR wanted to offer a complete service.
“Whether it’s a gardening activity or exercised-based, it is definitely a goal we want to offer the community,” Schroller said about non-competitive programs.
To be successful, MSR will need financial help from the city, an aggressive marketing campaign and increased participation.
MSR would provide the services to administer programs, marketing and promotions. Programs would include youth baseball and softball; men’s slow-pitch softball; church league coed softball; competitive coed softball league; youth basketball; youth soccer; adult coed volleyball league; umpire clinics; adult summer league sand volleyball; and adult flag football.
The company would be in charge of maintenance, upkeep, scheduling, equipment, security and field preparation.
Degenhardt said that the company wanted a five-year contract to give MSR the time it needs to develop a high-quality program.
Councilman Wayne Price wanted a three-year contract instead, with renewal options.
“We’re committed to it,” Degenhardt said.
Degenhardt said he was concerned that after three years the company may not get a renewal and that it will take time to reshape the recreation program.
“They’ve put a lot of time, effort and sweat into this and I can see where they would be concerned about having the rug yanked out from under their feet,” Councilman Jay Williamson said. “I don’t anticipate things will run smoothly the first year and maybe not the second year, but by the third year it could.”
Degenhardt said that the company needed a longer contract to make the ideas work.
“If all the parties are happy then they are not going to get the rug jerked out from under them,” Councilman Tim Ackerman said.
The council would have two ex-officio representatives on the MSR board and there was discussion about providing a performance clause in the contract.
“We need to be protected as well as they do,” Councilwoman Carol Phillips said.
Degenhardt said the group would determine what capital improvements were necessary.
“There are a lot of things we plan to do ourselves, but the larger capital improvement projects would need to come to the city, like for the nets or parking lot improvements. The city still owns the property,” Degenhardt said. “It is not our intention to come here every other week needing something. We hope to be self sufficient and relieve the city of recreation.”
January 12, 2006
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