Submitted by Adam Koszo

Marco City Councilor Frank Recker listens intently to Greg West's presentation on the need for more land for sports use on the island. Recker spoke in favor of seeing what can be done to advance sports for the young and older.

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With youngsters surrounding him, resident Greg West made a plea to the City Council for more athletic facilities at the council’s budget meeting on Monday.

West is president of the Marco Eagles football organization and a board member of the newly-formed Optimist Club of Marco Island. Under the Optimist umbrella comes the Eagles, Marco Island Baseball League and new soccer and basketball programs.

At times emotional, West gave a short and long-term scenario, but mostly speaking in the now.

He spoke under public comment after Dana Souza, City Parks and Recreation Department director, who also spoke of the city’s athletic needs – while at the same time the council is looking at cutting the parks and recreation budget.

Included in those proposed cuts is $71,000 for parks and recreation programs, which include a $23,000 reduction for teen programs and $16,000 for YMCA swimming lessons.

“Why would $71,000 be targeted that most dramatically affects the teens, older adults and families,” Councilor Frank Recker asked. “That to me seems like one of the good things government can do in a community this size, where the people can feel it.”

Quickly the cantankerous issue of Tract K land use came into play.

West produced a poll found on the organization’s Web site, asking the public what priority should be given for Tract K.

West said the four options were more athletic facilities, a dog park, solar panels for energy crunch and ‘I don’t care.” He said of the 129 responses, all 129 were for athletic needs.

Souza said the city’s athletic fields are so heavily used there is little down time. Winterberry Park will see additional use this year as Mackle Park renovations are made.

West says he is thankful for what Souza and the city is doing, it’s just not enough.

“The Eagles will have five home games at Winterberry Park and the new concession stand is outstanding, but it has just two bathrooms,” he said. “With crowds over the day stretching into the hundreds if not to 1,000, there will be a demand for bathrooms alone.”

West then addressed Winterberry Park, which is also used for YMCA and now Optimist soccer programs, men’s softball, senior men’s softball and co-ed softball, plus practice times.

“The amount of use Winterberry will get when Mackle Park can’t be used is just crazy,” he said. “The field is going to be killed by use. Even with Mackle Park there is a huge crunch.”

The city has a baseball field behind Tommie Barfield Elementary, used by Marco Island Charter Middle School and the Marco Island Baseball League. During the Marco Baseball season, Tommie Barfield and Winterberry Park are used.

“The obvious property to help solve the problem is Tract K,” West said. “The need for additional athletic facilities for the entire community should be a top priority.”

Souza said the county expects it will need four acres at Tract K for its solar panel project. He suggested that five acres could be used for a multi-purpose field.

The issue at hand is that the land was given to the Collier County School District by the Deltona Corp. for a future school years ago. However, the city has the right to determine what gets developed on the property.

Council Chairman Bill Trotter said, “Correct me if I am wrong, but there is nothing that can be done without our approval. It can’t be developed.”

Recker responded, “We sit at an impasse and consider that a victory.”

City Manager Steve Thompson explained, “Under the current restrictions the school can’t develop without your permission,” he said. “So that is the impasse, the community use restrictions. They need to come forward with a plan that gives the community asset and still gets them what they would like. There seems to be some opportunity there. Partnership seems to be the best way.”

Councilor Jerry Gibson suggested caution in dealing with the county.

“I think we should be very, very cautious,” he said. “I think there is a great opportunity. We need to approach this in a positive way. Dog park, ball field, I think the school board, if we approach them positively, may see some positives of our ideas as well.”

Since the land issue has been a thorn in the community and the county’s side for years, Recker wasn’t so conciliatory.

“I feel as a council we need to get our act together and start pounding the county,” he said. “We keep giving things to Collier County. If we need to blockade a commission meeting, I’m willing to risk arrest.”

The council decided to put the issue on the Aug. 18 agenda.

Souza appreciated West’s going before the council.

“ Greg’s presentation at the budget meeting was important since the Optimists are a new organization on Marco Island,” he said.

“It helps very much that he appeared, with other Optimist board members in the audience, as it demonstrates that the organization is actively developing quality youth sports programs in this community.”

Souza also said the organization has demonstrated it has been very successful with youth football and baseball and it is likely that its success will continue with other programs they develop.

“It was also important to have the organization, as users of Marco Island parks, state that additional fields are needed on the island,” Souza said.

Optimist President Tom Garousi was encouraged by the council’s response.

“We were delighted with overwhelming positive response from the City Council and all those who were present at the meeting,” he said.

Garousi said the main point the Optimist Club was making was the need for immediate action.

“This subject has been discussed for several years with little to no progress,” he said. “It is an issue that can unite the whole Marco Island community, with no adverse financial impact to our citizens and I think the majority of the council recognizes that.

“Councilman Recker was just as passionate and sincere in his call for the council to take action and we can not thank him enough for his stance and support of our cause.”

Garousi is anxious to see what happens next.

“The ball is now in the city’s court and I have full confidence that Mr. Thompson now comprehends the urgency of this subject and will take an active and lead role in getting this matter moved forward,” Garousi said.

“We have offered the city our support and we may plan a coordinated trip, at council’s discretion, to the next Collier County School Board meeting to voice our objectives.”