Fields Committee Symbolically Rejects Council's Recommendations on Field Use Policy

The Fields Committee showed its dismay at the recent council decision to vote down its proposed Fields Use Policy Wednesday morning by symbolically rejecting the council's recommendations, Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh reported at Wednesday evening's council meeting.

The advisory board is responsible for creating the rules and regulations of athletic field usage in the village, along with scheduling games for both village and school-board owned properties. Both the council and school board need to pass the policy for it to become law. While the , the council voted down the fields policy on the grounds that there , particularly at Stevens Field.

"When this council makes a decision it does so based on the concerns of every resident," Mayor Keith Killion said shortly after the vote in early May.

Walsh reported Wednesday night that the council's resolution–which recommended noise complaints have a proper procedure in place; a number specifying the number of Friday and Saturday nights lights at RHS Stadium can be on until 10 p.m.; lights out at Stevens be 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. at Vets; among other points–was apparently not well received.

"The committee discussed it, it was moved by one member of the committee but no one would move the resolution, so it died in committee," Walsh said. "I think that was more symbolic gesture on their part," she said, as the board is merely advisory.

School board member Charlie Reilly was appointed as the Field Committee liaison after Laurie Goodman was not re-elected. Walsh told the council Reilly will likely bring the council's resolution to vote down the policy up at its next school board meeting.

"They can either agree or disagree with the changes that we have requested, and if that happens they will come back to us with their recommendations or agreements to changes that were made," she said.

"We're really giving them the opportunity to do it in their forum and come back to us, which I feel is appropriate."

The current policy remains in effect, one Fields Committee members said was limiting the amount of recreation time for children and was not in line with the 2006 Master Plan recommendations.