SSD OKs $7,000 purchase of soccer safety nets

By STEVE CHRISTENSEN
Sun Advocate Contributor
    The Carbon County Recreation/Transportation Special Service District (SSD) has approved $7,000 to help fund safety nets at the new Carbon County Fairgrounds Soccer Fields.
    The request came from Dax Humes, who will install the nets as an Eagle Scout project.
    The problem, explains Humes, is the design of the soccer fields, where a missed shot on goal can go over the fence and roll a significant distance. On one field the ball actually goes across the model airplane runway and into the brush on the other side. It’s necessary for someone to cross the runway to get the ball.
    The fields slope significantly just beyond the playing area on the north side and the existing six-foot chainlink fence is actually at the same height as the field. Every shot that doesn’t end up in the goal goes over the fence.
    The 20-foot tall nets will be installed behind the goals level with the playing area and will block balls from going over the fence, Humes explained.
    The project, as proposed by Humes, will place the poles and install the nets.
    The commercially built system is designed to withstand 80 mile per hour winds. Deputy County Attorney Jeremy Humes, who accompanied his son to the meeting, said this same system is being used in other locations and seems to be adequate for the purpose being proposed here.
    A question was raised about the restaurant tax and transient room tax revenue and if that money could be used for this purpose.
    Commissioner Casey Hopes, who is a member of the SSD board, said construction and maintenance of recreation facilities is an acceptable use of that funding. He said he would look into it and see if there is possibly money there that could be used for this purpose.
    After further discussion the SSD board voted to purchase two sets of nets that will provide the necessary backstop on two fields. The voted was 4-2, with Mark Morley and Larry Jensen voting against the appropriation. Jensen later explained he is against dispensing any money due to the uncertainty of funds coming in to the SSD. The SSD gets money from mineral leases on federal and state owned property, but that money has been declining in recent years and the prospect is that it will continue to decrease, according to Jensen.
    Although the SSD has a moratorium in place on funding for future projects, there is some funds already budgeted, including $50,000 for recreation projects. The $7,000 appropriation will come from that line item. The county commission will need to write a letter to the SSD requesting the money. The money will then be transferred to the county and appropriated by the county.