Council makes payment for sports complex construction

The Mount Pleasant City Council Tuesday night approved a payment of $303,116 to Symmetry Turf for the new sports complex.

Director of Building and Development Eddie Perritt reported the installment payment is large because the structural steel for the restrooms and concession stands has been delivered.

“Most of the money is being spent on the construction of the concession stands and restrooms,” he said.

Eighty-five percent of the money has been paid for the new park, but only 50 percent of the construction is done because the concession stands and restrooms are such a large part, he said.

The new facility was initially scheduled to be finished by October, but a very wet winter and spring pushed the completion date to next spring.

City Manager Ed Thatcher said “If we can get the rain to hold off it should be complete by March 31st.”

“Right now everything seems to be on schedule,” said Perritt.

Thatcher said the new fields should be ready for play next fall.

Recently elected City Council member Galen Adams said he has taken the time to review the project, especially the “big ticket” items.

“I went through the pay requests,” he said. “I feel comfortable with what I saw.”

Thatcher told council members in the future he plans to have Perritt also look at pay requests submitted by the contractor.

“It’s always good to have another set of eyes in case anything stands out,” he said.

Council member Jerry Walker followed up on a discussion from a previous meeting and asked what has been done regarding the subject of wild hogs potentially tearing up the new turf. Because of the size of the sports complex, it would be very expensive to enclose it in a hog-proof fence.

“It would pretty hard to keep them out,” said Thatcher.

Instead, he has been told using the right chemicals on the turf “will keep the grubs out of the fields”, leaving nothing for the hogs.