The Holts Summit Board of Aldermen spent nearly 30 minutes Tuesday revisiting the use of baseball fields and other city property by the Optimist Club, along with discussing the upcoming Christmas parade and redistricting.
Before discussing those items, the board passed two items of unfinished business from the September meeting. The first item establishes the 2022 General Municipal Election and the second item amends the Code for sales of alcoholic beverages.
In new business, the board discussed not-so-new business regarding the Optimist Club. In September, members of the Optimist Club voiced their concerns regarding costs and scheduling with the city-owned baseball fields for their youth baseball leagues.
In previous years, the City allowed the organization to use the fields at a reduced cost. In addition to the issue of cost, concerns surrounding scheduling were also voiced.
Optimist Club members said the baseball program accounts for a large percentage of their funding used to organize other community events.
"If the ball program takes a cut, then we have to quit doing about half, if not more, of the activities that we do," one member said. "We try to plan one activity a month for the kids in our community and we can't do that if we don't have funds to do that."
The baseball program not only provides funding for Optimist Club programs, but is a valuable program for area youth who may not be able to attend baseball programs in Jefferson City.
"This program is for the kids in this community," a member said. "(Jefferson City) Parks and Rec is $125. We charge $40. A lot of the kids in our program can't afford to go to Jeff City nor would their parents take them."
The Optimist Club also discussed use of the Civics Center, which they said they use for many of their events.
While a more permanent agreement for use of the fields and Civics Center was tabled for next month's meeting, the Board carried a motion to waive fees for use of the Civics Center by the Optimist Club for a November event.
The other topic discussed at length in the meeting was the upcoming Christmas parade. Mayor Landon Oxley asked for public feedback during the meeting, which voiced support for returning the event to a traditional parade.
The parade, with the theme "Christmas at the Movies", will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 11, starting on Greenway Drive near the Civics Center before turning north on South Summit Drive and eventually circling its way around.
The Board also discussed the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which were provided to states and communities in March by the federal government. Determining projects to use funds for will be an ongoing process to "do it (spend the money) in a way that will benefit the city."
The Board closed out the meeting in a closed session. The next Board of Aldermen meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Holts Summit Municipal Center, 245 S. Summit Drive.