Baseball field plans reach first base

Preliminary plans for leasing the upper baseball field at Westview Park to the Rage baseball program as their home field are moving forward following a recent meeting of Moorcroft's baseball committee and team representatives Travis and wife Devin Arney.

Moorcroft Town Council members listened to schedule recommendations, possible names for the field and more from the committee at a workshop last week, but expressed that first they needed to know more the details of the contract.

As voiced by Councilman Dale Petersen, "Before we get to that, we haven't even decided. What we need first are the facts...of some type of agreement."

Travis Arney shared the current annual cost of leasing the Babe Ruth fields in Gillette for comparison: "Right now, to lease Babe Ruth fields 1 and 2, it's $1500 a year. The county still helps with lights and water, but any other improvements are on the club."

Petersen suggested a two-year lease to begin with the option to renew "if what you are saying turns out to be true", to which the couple agreed.

"What is it going to cost the town of Moorcroft for that field to get ready?" Councilman Bob Stewart asked, as the field, in its current condition is not adequate for games or tournaments and the town is not prepared to spend the amount needed to bring the field up to the needed standards at this time.

Arney responded, "It's not going to cost Moorcroft. We don't want any money from Moorcroft; we would just like the blessing to come over and join your community...I've already got people who are wanting to come in and do dirt work...I've already got someone who is going to come in and help with electrical...we already have people who are going to come in and run [skid steers]."

The team spokesman told his listeners that his plan is to remove approximately two inches of topsoil to mitigate the goat head thorns that are so prevalent right now in the diamond and lay new sod or grass in the outfield.

"I'm still working on getting a grant from the state for that; it's called Rural State Development because Moorcroft is rural so I'm working on that," he said.

Councilwoman Heidi Humpal spoke plainly, "You say you have all these things, is this like a handshake kind of thing or is there [something] in writing from these people for the follow through?"

Arney responded with an example of his sponsorship, "Blakeman Propane said, 'we would like to donate the score board. As soon as we know that you have a home, we'll cut you a check, you order the score board and it goes in'." He explained there were other sponsors who offered labor and equipment instead of cash as well.

Mayor Ben Glenn spoke regarding the work the organization intends to provide: "I'd like to think everyone's going to do exactly what they say so for the first two years...I don't feel that the amount of work and sweat equity that you're going to put into our town, that we should charge you a lease for the first two years. I think we could just lease it as a dollar."

"I'm 100% for it, I'll state up front," Glenn said of the plan to move the Rage team into Moorcroft, adding however, "When the score board's planted, who does that belong to? Is that something you take with you when you leave? Because those are a few of the details that our lawyer will ask."

The mayor continued with a hypothetical situation to stress the point: "During a 20-year period, when the lights need revamped...I want to make sure there's a long-term plan in place for that, I'd hate to have something built and see it let go."

The possibility of the team returning to Gillette or moving somewhere else and removing any fixtures was expressed more than once. Devin Arney answered this concern, "Essentially, [the scoreboard, lights, etc.] are going to benefit our organization and all our kids and we want them to benefit the Moorcroft kids as well. If any of them want to join Rage Baseball, we want them to come join the family, but, with that, we're benefitting the community and those items will stay."

After further conversation, Glenn summarized the council's position: "As long as the verbiage is in there, like you said, the minute it's planted in the ground, it's ours [and] it's no longer Rage's because then, we can, as a council and a town, help maintain some of that stuff and help take care of it...if we can help along the way, I'm 100% in."

Another issue that was brought to the Rage representative when last Travis spoke to the council was the question of concessions, and Stewart again broached this subject, asking for a clear response. Baseball committee spokesperson Krissy Hinkhouse stated that they had discussed this point at length with the Rage organization and their recommendation was to allow the local and Rage teams to manage their own individual concession funds.

The naming of the field and scheduling of games will be settled at a later date.

Stewart reiterated the feeling of the governing body, "If I could vote for it right now, I would. I am 100% for it."

While no decisions were made at this workshop, many questions were addressed and the council is ready to move on to a more formal discussion with Town Attorney Pat Carpenter.