Although the Sulphur Springs City Council took no action on the item, they heard a presentation made by Bright Star Baseball during Tuesday night’s regular session. The presentation was made to keep the council informed and to note that when Bright Star raises $500,000 to build their synthetic rubberized baseball field, spectator seating, concession stand, restrooms, and video board with audio, camera, and computer system, and metal roofed dugouts, the council will then have to vote to build or not on city land. Veronica Yost served as spokesperson for the Bright Star board of directors that includes members Jackie Thornton, Donna Rudzik, Maci Newsom, Mellissa Foster, Carmen Crouse, Dr. Tod Conner, Dr. Suzanne Thomas Bankston. She presented the vision of the organization to provide a baseball league for special needs children and youth ages 5-18. Over 200 middle school and high school students along with a number of younger children would be served by the league. The board plans to begin raising funds for the field in Fall 2016, break ground for complex to be named Celebration Field in Spring 2017. Currently they are awaiting a 501 (c)3 designation. When the group began they sought help from the Kiwanis Club to get started.
Don Sapaugh represented the Lions Club in a counter-point presentation to the council regarding the field. He stated that there were two different leagues for special needs children and youth started at the same time by two different people. The Lions Club joined with the other group and helped facilitate a union of the two groups into Bright Star. Now that there is a board, a 501, and a board with no Lions Club representation the club feels their trust has been broken.
Council will consider the field when the funds have been raised by Bright Star to build the facility.
In other action the council voted to go cheaper and better by spending less than the hundreds of thousands needed for signage along I-30 to attract visitors to Celebration Plaza. The council voted to name the Broadway Street overpass, Celebration District. Billboards will be placed on I-30 on both the east and west sides of town directing travelers to Celebration Plaza via Celebration District, the new name for the Broadway Street bridge. Internally Illuminated street signs attached to signal lights at Broadway and the service roads will direct visitors down Broadway. Also assisting in directing visitors downtown with the celebration design denoted on the billboards. This design will be spaced on a single lane of Broadway leading to Celebration Plaza. The first highlighted attraction at Celebration Plaza will be dining.
Council also voted to approve an interlocal agreement between the city and Region 8 enabling the city to purchase certain items from local vendors such as Farm Country.
