Catoosa County tells rec directors to spend money
By Rachel Brown
Friday June 1, 2007 12:06:12pm


Catoosa County officials want the three recreation associations to start spending their sales tax money.

“It does look bad that we’re sitting here and we’ve got $300,000 apiece and we haven’t really moved on these projects,” said Carl Henson, chief financial officer for the county.

During a special called work session on Thursday, county officials told representatives from the recreation associations at Boynton, Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe that now is the time to start moving forward with projects for new ball fields and improved facilities.

This is the third year in which county officials have collected money from the special-purpose local-option sales tax. Part of the SPLOST budget includes $500,000 for each of the rec associations. Next year, officials said, the county will introduce plans for passing another SPLOST – and voters won’t be as likely to approve the penny sales tax unless promises are kept on this one.

Henson said the current projects need to be pretty well finished by that time.

Scott Murdoch, president of the Boynton association, said that because the county didn’t borrow money up front, the associations had to wait several years to be able to begin work. It’s been just recently that enough sales tax money has accumulated for officials to be able to begin projects, he said.

“You’re going to run through $261,000 just like that,” Murdoch said.

Jeff Long, recreation director for Fort Oglethorpe, said the city has formed a committee that hopes to complete a master plan in three months. Fort Oglethorpe’s recreation officials plan to use a 42-acre lot at Cloud Springs Road and Dietz Road to build new ball fields, a gymnasium and other kinds of recreational facilities.

He said they even plan to include a fishing area.

Ringgold officials have already used most of the money set aside for that recreation association on building new ball fields. Travis Marler, president of the Ringgold Youth Athletic Association, said the SPLOST money built five new fields so the association now has a total of 10.

Another move recreation officials discussed making is allowing more practices at Jack Mattox Recreational Complex, said Dennis Johnson, the recreation director for Catoosa County. Officials planned to discuss the matter again later.

Total to spend: $500,000 for each association

Amount received as of April 30: $271,911 for each association

Boynton spent: $10,800

Fort Oglethorpe spent: $228

Ringgold spent: $431,714






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CSS4Comm4
Comments: 160
Joined: 10/09/2006
06/17/2007 08:17:23 PM
ON WHAT DID THE RINGGOLD REC SPEND $431,714.00 ??? Those fields don't look much different than they did 30 years ago. Somebody must have pocketed some money somewhere.
 
whodey77
Comments: 5
Joined: 06/02/2007
06/08/2007 07:34:26 AM
Mr. Laney,
I would be willing to try and help find a responsible soccer minded individual who could do what you are asking for soccer in the Fort. O. rec league. I, being a soccer person in county, have several contacts that I would ask to see what there interest level is.

I would also like to add, that it might be important to have a small community of soccer individuals who can float ideas, brainstorm, as well as split work related duties so that the "1 person working the fields all day on a Saturday" can be avoided.

In my opinion, it always helps to have more than one mind in the mix to come up with ideas and how to implement certain things. Fort O, and LMS and LFO respectively need a good soccer rec league in order ot be able to compete with the Ringgold, and Heritage(Boynton) rec leagues. When Heritage high school opens, all soccer programs at LMS and RMS, as well as LFO and RHS will possibly get torn apart because of redistricting.

Thats why its so important to have a well established feeder recreation program for Fort O, as well as Ringgold and Boynton so that all leagues will be producing good players for all the schools in the county.

Let me know how I can help, and we'll see what we can get done.

 
NorthGACitizen
Comments: 165
Joined: 01/08/2006
06/07/2007 12:40:01 PM
Mr. Laney,

You seem to have valuable concerns and are well versed in recreation. I too think that a county run baseball league would benefit everyone. I don't believe that Catoosa would make a particular rec association play under any particular sanctioning body though. I believe that if the majority wanted to play Little League or Dizzy Dean that they would be receptive to it. As far as the eligibility rule, I am pretty sure that it is very simple, "Live or go to school in the county you play in" so that shouldn't be too hard. I like your way of thinking though. Oh yea, I drove by the old soccer fields at Benton Place today. They have been recently bushhogged. They need a lot of work leveling the ground and putting some sod down but that would be a great place for 3 soccer fields. The county would prob. have to use SPLOST dollars to develop it.

 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
06/07/2007 09:39:56 AM
They already "stack" teams to some degree, so what does it matter, if kids from other counties play here?

North Ga. my kids played soccer when they were young, but I don't remember any fields near Benton Place. If there were, they have probably been swallowed up by subdivisions.

For the comment about those that complain, but don't volunteer, well my husband and I volunteered plenty when our kids were playing and I coached for several years and I still don't know where all the money went.
 
lfowarrior
Comments: 4
Joined: 06/06/2007
06/07/2007 07:15:31 AM
I would like the county to coordinate baseball also, that is with the following restriction. baseball is governed by the leagues they play in ie Little League, Dizzy Dean, etc. The County tries to restrict youth associations participating into a catoosa only playing requirements for participants. Due to FO proximity to Walker County, I strongly disagree with this. Actually, FT Oglethorpe city limits is now in a large area in Walker County. We can not refuse services to this area due to them paying taxes. If Catoosa Coordinates the programs like East Ridge or lafayette, then I would strongly agree with them coordinating it all. lafayette and East Ridge allows out of area (county) residents. Lafayette charges a higher fee. Catoosa County is afraid that the Recs. will recruit players and stack teams.
 
NorthGACitizen
Comments: 165
Joined: 01/08/2006
06/06/2007 03:39:02 PM
I agree with you 100%. Like Youth Football, Basketball, and Slow-Pitch Softball, each association would have to appoint a Soccer Commissioner to handle the association's responsibilities relative to the sport of soccer. Without parent volunteers, the county could not completely run the program. I personally like the way the county runs the programs that they do and wish they would coordinate baseball and fast-pitch softball..It only makes sense to have the neutral body run each sport. Do you know anything about the soccer fields that used to be near Benton Place campus? I think they have grown up now due to lack of maintenance and up-keep but didn't people use to play there?
 
lfowarrior
Comments: 4
Joined: 06/06/2007
06/06/2007 01:25:48 PM
The county Coodinating the program will help tremendously, but they also coordinate football, basketball, and softball. A person or persons are needed at the local level for working with signup, coaches, equipment, concessions, field set up, and to work with the parents, etc. I know during football season, i was usually on the field from 0800am to 530pm each saturday and at the field every night from 6pm-9pm during the season.

This is why we can build the fields, but we must find someone to coordinate the in house program and services that will be needed. It almost has to be someone that truly loves soccer and has a child involved due to the time requirements needed. This has been the hold up for us in the past.
 
NorthGACitizen
Comments: 165
Joined: 01/08/2006
06/06/2007 01:02:15 PM
Mr. Laney,

I appreciate you enlightening the interested citizens in the plans for LFO Rec. to move forward with a youth soccer program. As I stated in a previous post, the Catoosa County Recreation Department is planning to coordinate and govern this program beginning in the Fall so that takes care of a lot of headaches that would burden the Rec. Associations. Allowing full-time recreation staff to organize and coordinate the league alleviates a lot of time off the hands of the volunteer rec board members/parents. It also allows a neutral party to coordinate/govern and schedule games for the league. I truly believe that LFO Rec. has the right mind set on this program and I am really interested to see the response from the parents and kids interested in this sport in the coming weeks.

 
lfowarrior
Comments: 4
Joined: 06/06/2007
06/06/2007 12:31:35 PM
We plan to develop the soccer fields, the problem we have had in the past is that we have not found anyone willing to coordinate the program. We have tried to offer soccer in the past. I have been a commissioner at FO in football and president in the past. To have any program, you must have someone that is willing to put alot of time (20+ hours week) into it. Our problem has been that we have not had a person(s) willing to take the soccer program and run with it. In our Ft oglethorpe Rec. Commission meeting last monday, we discussed trying to find persons willing to help develop soccer at LFO rec. I know someone out there would likle to kickstart a program off. We need to know who you are.

I am aware that soccer will have a positive effect on our numbers and we are in full support of doing soccer in the future. We also may have another location soon availible for soccer.

I believe if you build it, they will come.

Please come to our next meeting.

Also in discussion on the funds raised each year at the Recs. Please unedrestand that the annual insurance for FO is around $5,000 a year. Other monies brought in, is ate up by paying refs, umpires, uniforms, equipment and any field upkeep. All the associations a volunteers and are not paid.

To build these new ballfields, the Recs, can not pay for them without public monies. They are just way too expensive and way outside of their budget.

The thing that has always bothered me, is when people refuse to help or volunteer, but want to complain about where the monies go or about the programs. All the association board members are elected from the members that want to help. If you want to know, get involved and you'll quickly find out that every penny given to the Rec Associations are very well spent.
 
NorthGACitizen
Comments: 165
Joined: 01/08/2006
06/06/2007 10:52:50 AM
Mr. Laney,

I would encourage you and the LFO Recreation Association to build those soccer fields. I think it would be very smart to have the soccer fields constructed at the same time you are building the baseball/softball fields as this would show the committment LFORA has for the sport of soccer. Now that Catoosa County Recreation Department is offering Youth Soccer, this will be the time that LFORA can significantly increase their participation numbers. I believe that LFORA is at a crossroads and they have many decisions to make. I hope they are smart enough to see that building a new soccer complex would greatly increase their numbers.

 
lfowarrior
Comments: 4
Joined: 06/06/2007
06/06/2007 07:45:48 AM
Just for everyone info. The recreation associations have not just been sitting on the monies. In the past few years we have looked at using the monies, but we found extreme difficulties without going into debt. We (Ft. Oglethorpe) did not want to put ourselves in the situation Ringgold Rec. found thereselves in. We have talked with the county officials for the last few years on spending the monies. Our decision was to wait until the money was actually there, before we decided to spend it.
The ballfields at FO or Boynton are going to cost more than $500,000. The ground work and the lighting will cost more than our current splost allotment. FO has decided on a design firn to develop our master plan. We hope to have it within the next 2-3 months finished and the we can begin developing the recreation complex.

In the complex, we have looked at baseball/softball fields, multi purpose gym (for youth and older city/county citizens), a lake, a area for canoeing/fishing on the creek, a playground, walking trails and for those whom have called for it, fields for soccer. We will have a large area that will have limited development on and this area we have discussed soccer fields. Our Recreation meetings are usually the 1st monday of each month. The meeting info is posted outside of Ft. Oglethorpe City Hall or you could call the city. We would love to have community input on ideas. We have also discussed other recreational opportunites. We are trying to remain open for all suggestions.

If you are a soccer person with contacts, ideas, granst info. this is the time to come to our meetings.

I would like to take this time to thank County and City Commissioners for their support, especially Lous Hamm, Ken Marks, and Mr Winters.

Tim Laney, Ft. Oglethorpe Rec. Commission Member
 
whodey77
Comments: 5
Joined: 06/02/2007
06/05/2007 10:21:21 PM
I would love to come to the next recreation meeting, but I never know when they are having them. Where can I find the schedule of the rec meetings? Perhaps I should call.

Once the fields are made and the goals are bought, soccer can be one of the cheapest sports for a rec association to run year after year. There isn't much upkeep, and it allows alot of kids to all be moving and playing and having a good time.

NorthGACitizen, I hope that you are right and that at least one of the associations has soccer and the rest will follow suit.



 
Welltraveled
Comments: 7
Joined: 02/17/2007
06/05/2007 04:32:25 PM
You all need to think again about those soccer fields. I was there and the consensus from
the rec people was they needed more ball fields before soccer fields. The monies will be
spent on ball fields first and soccer will come later unless the parents get their act together
and input some strong opinions.
 
NorthGACitizen
Comments: 165
Joined: 01/08/2006
06/04/2007 10:21:37 AM
I know for a fact that the Catoosa County Recreation Department is going to offer Youth Soccer this Fall (2007). This will be a new program that they have planned to offer for quite some time now. I assume that all 3 Recreation Associations will offer sign-ups. If you want more information on youth soccer, I would call the Catoosa County Recreation Department at 706-891-4199.

I agree, the associations need to develop soccer fields in the near future. The first association that does this will see their enrollment numbers soar!
 
CSS4Comm4
Comments: 160
Joined: 10/09/2006
06/04/2007 10:07:13 AM
What's really sad is that Ringgold and Boynton are getting $500,000 each from the county taxpayers, but Ringgold Middle School has to pay Boynton to rent Seabolt Field on which to play their 8th grade home games. Not sure about the 7th grade using the Ringgold Field.

Seems like double-dipping to me. Besides, why is Ringgold Middle the only middle school in the county without a home field for baseball on campus?

 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
06/02/2007 05:16:38 PM
What bothers me is all the money Ringgold Rec Association has taken in for years with the purpose of funding new ball fields, way before any splost money was thought of. Where did it go? My kids started playing there back in 1982 and all we ever heard talk about was raising money to build new fields. I know for a fact, that they did fund raisers, tournaments, etc. to raise money specifically for fields, yet nothing was ever done. They also, prior to splost money, received every year from the county $10,000 and also charged parents fees for their children to play. Where was the money spent? It sure wasn't spent on improvements at the old fields. They look much the same as they did in 1982. We eventually took our kids to play at Boynton, because you could at least see where they were spending money to make improvements and there was just a little less of the good ole boy system in that association. However, I would think that Boynton would be spending this money to possibly build more fields or at the very least pave their parking areas. I don't know if Boynton has the room for more fields, but as I said they could pave the parking lot and finish improvements on the small fields at the back of the property.

Whodey77, I agree they need soccer fields. Years ago, there was a field that was used for soccer, but it eventually was used for Ringgold Highs softball field. Boynton did use the baseball fields in the fall for soccer, but fall baseball has now kicked them out. Soccer is a great sport and considering the high schools have soccer teams, there is a need for rec soccer leagues in this county. Colleges also give scholarships for soccer, so baseball and football aren't the only way to go to college. Also, some of the best football place kickers have been soccer players.

Romegasir, Catoosa County is notorious for doing things, as my grandmother said, bass ackwards!!!!!
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
06/02/2007 04:32:13 PM
It's funny that the money has been coming in for years, and NOW they are going to develop a master plan.. Genius. Sounds a lot like Floyd County too in that the majority of the money always goes to one part of the county.....Armuchee.
 
whodey77
Comments: 5
Joined: 06/02/2007
06/02/2007 11:47:44 AM
The fact that 2 of the recreation departments are "holding onto" their money is disturbing. I have recently moved into Catoosa and been to all the parks, and have been disappointed not to see any soccer fields. Regardless of whether or not you "like" soccer, soccer IS a kid friendly sport. I wish that Catoosa County officials would recognize the fact that there is a need and desire for soccer rec leagues here in Catoosa, instead of just ceding the soccer interest to Camp Jordan and allowing them to get all the money.

In short, Catoosa needs to use some of that money and start building some soccer fields for the children of this county to enjoy, instead of just building more and more "ball fields". There are other sports that kids like to play.

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