LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — Saucon Valley Little Leaguers are in for a treat.
Lower Saucon Township Council on Wednesday approved nearly $1.88 million to cover a major improvement project for a baseball field at 2190 Easton Road.
- Lower Saucon Council approved $1.88 million in upgrades for a local ballfield
- Some additional amenities will be sent back out for bid
- A state grant of over a half-million dollars will offset some of the cost
After the panel reviewed five bids, Council President Jason Banonis recommended moving forward with the most affordable option by accepting CH+N Site Construction Inc.'s bid to do the work for $1,887,464.13, plus $69,806 to lay sod on the field's surface.
Banonis added that he believed some of the work should start in fall, depending on a number of factors.
Part of that motion to accept the bid included deferring bids for site and field lighting, dugouts, bleachers, press box, scoreboard and batting cages to allow the township and local ball league the chance to get sponsors and fundraise.
Council voted in approval, 4-1, with member Priscilla deLeon opposed.
Saving some cash
Banonis said the township could potentially get some more affordable options from which to choose by sending those bids back out to subcontractors instead of general contractors, as was done before.
The council president recognized the expense of the project, but said a $508,860 grant courtesy of the state's Local Share Account is specifically earmarked for the ball field upgrades.
Paired with about $9 million in township reserve funds, the grant also would ease some of the cost off taxpayers while providing a widely requested amenity, he said.
Township officials looked to add lighting and other renovations to the field a decade ago, but pricing and other factors made the project fall by the wayside, Banonis said.
Revamping the field came back up in the past couple of years, leading to the current design, he said.
“It would really be a first-rate, full-size baseball field with lighting, which the entire Saucon Valley community lacks."Lower Saucon Township Council President Jason Banonis
Banonis explained that the current field footprint would be turned about 180 degrees, lights would be installed, batting cages would go up and the parking lot would get a refinishing, among other things.
“It would really be a first-rate, full-size baseball field with lighting, which the entire Saucon Valley community lacks,” Banonis said.
The groundwork
Council Vice President Mark Inglis also spoke about the sod-laying process and what’d be best to get kids playing on the field as soon as possible.
“Once it knits, and if this project would get done in the fall, you’re ready to go in the spring.”Lower Saucon Township Council Vice President Mark Inglis, speaking on the sod-laying process
He said by using sod, the township would cut at least a couple of years off the typical grass-growing process.
“Once it knits, and if this project would get done in the fall, you’re ready to go in the spring,” Inglis said.
He added that sod has to stay wet to cooperate, and keeping it soaked is much easier in fall than in summer.
Inglis said he didn’t believe the field had enough water on site to meet the demand. He recommended bringing in a water pumper from the township’s volunteer fire department to water the field for a couple of hours daily.
“In the fall, if the weather cooperates, you may not even have to do it at all,” Inglis said.
Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon said that might be too much to ask of first responders already volunteering their time.
“They’re busy enough putting out fires,” deLeon said. “That’s a lot for a volunteer to have to do in addition.”
An additional vote
Later in the discussion, Councilman Thomas Carocci asked whether installing a well on the property could help with watering the field.
He later made a motion for the township to investigate that and determine the potential cost and workload involved if the well was possible, while he would consult with the fire company about its potential role.
The panel approved the motion, 4-1, with deLeon oppossed.
“I think that this is an inappropriate use of taxpayers’ money to invest this amount of money in an industrial area. And I brought this up during the rezoning of Easton Road.”Lower Saucon Township Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon
“I think that this is an inappropriate use of taxpayers’ money to invest this amount of money in an industrial area,” deLeon said. “And I brought this up during the rezoning of Easton Road.”
Banonis clarified that the property wasn’t part of that recent property rezoning on Easton Road, as the field sits southeast of that line.
Carocci called deLeon’s vote “a slap in the face to youth sports.”
