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Minutes of a Meeting of The North Olmsted Parks and Recreation Commission August 1, 2005 facility. They have the money; let’s put it in. Let’s put it in. Mr. Carras said that he didn’t know how he could say it any stronger. He said we need to move and quit talking; we’ve been talking for seven years. We want a diamond for our kids in this City. Now, are you for it or against it? He did not think there were a lot of problems here; we’ve talked about them all. We need to move on some closure and quit talking. Here’s the money. Here’s the quotes. Here’s the manpower. What’s stopping us? He did not think there was anything in the way. He really did not. There are people in the way of the Athletic Department. He wants to try to move to closure; to quit talking about it, and talking about having a facility, not about what we could do. The City’s famous for talking about what we could do. He was here (before the Commission) to try to make things happen. Here it is (showing the proposal). He was giving the Commission the money and the manpower. Mr. DiSalvo opened the floor to another gentleman: “Sir?” The person said that he was listening patiently and that his name was Tom Williams. He was a little disappointed in one fact. He knew about this meeting for an extended period, and yet there are still questions that are unanswered that should have been asked before this meeting. He has coached Hot Stove in excess of ten years; he has a son that plays J.V. and hopefully will play senior ball. He can say that (he coached) in the Hot Stove League and that he coached in the Senior League. They played on other fields. They played at fields that have cinder track, grass infields, concrete block bunkers, batting cages; that’s what we’re competing with as a City and as a High School. That’s what our children deserve; whether it’s for Hot Stove, or whether it’s for the High School. What disappoints him the most: “communicator” was mentioned. Why weren’t these questions asked before tonight. There might have been answers. That’s disappointing to him. He has been in the City of North Olmsted for an extended period of time. He’s coached Hot Stove and he’s seen balls disappear at second base, but they made do because of the dust bowl. They have Hot Stove hitting the ball across the street today, this season. They automatically make it a home run so no kid has to run into the street and get a baseball. In his opinion, that’s a shame. He’s on both sides of the fence. This City deserves a baseball field. It will be shared, he was sure, by the High School and Hot Stove. He did not see why the questions couldn’t have been posed earlier than tonight so that tonight there could be answers. Mr. DiSalvo opened the floor to another man, who echoed what Mr. Williams said. He also has a son in J.V. and made the point that he’s seen his son play on the fields growing up and has seen his frustration because there is no home field. He thinks that if there is a field the kids will take ownership of their team and their field if they are provided one. He did not think it was too much to ask for a permanent field for the City and School, and he thinks time is of the essence. One reason is that our kids aren’t going to be here playing much longer, but he thinks the kids will take ownership that will help everyone: the City, the School, the Team, the Coaches. Page 11