Dear Editor,

I did attend the special meeting of the Village of New Glarus pertaining to the proposed softball field at Veterans Park. What did I learn? Chris Rear, who is in charge of summer recreation programs for New Glarus Recreation, on ball fields was asked, “Is one baseball field and one softball field adequate for New Glarus?” His response was we will do the best we can with what we have. We should have one baseball field and two softball fields, but three would be better.

The Library Board has committed to raise 1 million dollars before any construction begins. No mention was made of what the total of the fundraising efforts are to-date, and no statement was made of the current estimate of a new library building. I learned the Village Board is committed to borrowing 1 million dollars for construction of a new library. When does the Library Board hope to complete fundraising for the library building? In two years? Five years or 10 years?

After joining Village Board members at the table, I asked two questions: #1: When did the building of a new library building begin? Answer: 25 years ago. #2: Why didn’t the Village Board consider buying the New Glarus Lumber Yard property for the new library building? I said I thought this was a “PERFECT” place for the Library. Then the Village President, in a snarky reply, said the discussion about the Library building will not be allowed again at this meeting tonight. After the meeting adjourned, two people spoke to me who were in the audience, they thought the Lumber Yard was a perfect place for the Library. On my way to my car, two more people also said this was a perfect place for the library.

Bill Hustad and Bill Kuenzi led a discussion about reasons why the Veterans Memorial Board is truly against the construction of a softball field at Veterans Park. It was very clear from comments during and at the end of the meeting that four board members were solidly against changing their minds, or wanting to look at any alternative sites for softball fields or location for the new library building.

My recommendation for the Village Board: I ask the Village Board not to spend $500,000 to build a softball field at the Veterans Memorial Park. Let me address the issues why this is a really bad use of Village money. It doesn’t address the problem to provide two or three softball fields, at the end of this expenditure we still have one softball field. I played softball in many towns in my day, and this would be the worst designed field I ever saw. There would be no bleachers behind home plate for spectators. Bleachers would only be located outside the fence in left field. Parents would have to bring binoculars to watch their kids play ball! The best I can tell, is the outfield fence would be constructed one or two feet from the Veterans Memorial. Please use this $500,000 wisely, to purchase land to provide a two or three softball field complex in or adjacent to the village.

Let’s abandon the idea that a new library can only be built on the infield at the downtown softball field. We probably need this field now, and a long time into the future!

Allen Fjelstad,

49-year resident of New Glarus

P.S. I just learned that on June 2nd, the Village Board did not pass a motion to build a softball field at Veterans Memorial Park. Now let’s get everyone working together to find land to build the necessary softball fields.