It's Time to Play Ball with Common Sense Governing in Lakewood

File this under: “It’s really not that hard.”

Years of complaints about Lakewood’s baseball fields have finally produced… more talk from our local government.

Grounders becoming unsafe and bouncing in ways that inhibit ability to even play the game have become commonplace due to a conflict (and lack of) management of the fields in the area where the dirt meets the grass.

Years of complaints.

A “resolution” in June.

It’s now August, and we’re having talk of “drafting legislation.” This is unacceptable.

Here’s how one parent described the current state of affairs: “Neglected by the current management structure with no capital plan, no maintenance plan, and no leadership or accountability, the extremely poor field conditions are a liability to the city and the residents created by the recreation department’s lack of focus and care.”

Our city deserves better.

As a business and non-profit executive, I have a background in putting together solutions to complex problems.

Fixing a baseball field is not a complex problem.

I’m tired of seeing our city languishing behind incompetence and political gridlock. It should be easy to find the time, resources, and diligence necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of our kids.

Famed baseball manager Frank Robinson always said, “Close doesn’t count in baseball.” Well, the same should be said for our government. We must do better, and I’m committed to seeing these kinds of problems – problems that get lost because of a political establishment that just doesn’t care – resolved expeditiously moving forward.

We need to bench our current elected officials and send in fresh leadership who can see this for what it is: a simple problem needing a simple solution.