Seventy-two parents and players from a Kent soccer club packed the Kent City Council meeting Tuesday night at City Hall to plea for replacement of the fields lost two years ago when the city built the ShoWare Center.<\/p>\n
They came to speak their piece in a public hearing that night about the City of Kent’s 2010 budget. More than 20 people spoke their piece, commenting on everything from soccer fields to the proposed loss of a city-sponsored teen program, and general concerns about city revenues.<\/p>\n
Mark Fremmerlid, president of the Dos FC Premier soccer club, helped organize the soccer players’ rally that night, bringing in a crowd that included more than three dozen boys and girls in soccer uniforms who filled Council chambers.<\/p>\n
“We had fields to play on,” Fremmerlid told the Council, referring to the former Commons Playfields along James Street. “Then the ShoWare Center wiped out a lot of soccer fields. There was a promise that we would see more fields, but we have not seen them.”<\/p>\n
The shortage of fields has left Dos FC Premier and the rest of the 1,600-player Kent Youth Soccer Association scrambling to find places to play. Many of the 351 players in Dos FC travel to the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila to play because of a lack of fields in Kent.<\/p>\n
Council President Debbie Raplee said in a phone interview Wednesday that it was “pretty incredible” to see such a large turnout for a public hearing about the city budget.<\/p>\n
Raplee said that Fremmerlid made a valid point about the city’s promise to replace the fields lost because of the new arena.<\/p>\n
“We did make that promise and that is a promise we should keep,” Raplee said.<\/p>\n
There are no proposals in the $157.8 million budget for 2010 to build more soccer fields, but Raplee said that could change if enough Council members agree new fields should be part of the budget.<\/p>\n
“There is a question of what the cost would be and when we could get it done,” Raplee said. “But we need to do it because we said we would. At least, that’s my take on it.”<\/p>\n
The Council is scheduled to adopt the budget either Dec. 8 or Dec. 15.<\/p>\n
City officials are looking at plans to work with the Kent School District to convert the grass practice fields at Kent-Meridian High School into synthetic turf fields with lights in an effort to replace the Commons Playfields. There are only three lighted soccer fields in Kent, one at French Field and two at Wilson Playfields.<\/p>\n
But no funding has been found for the Kent-Meridian project and no exact timeline exists as far as when the fields might be converted. The cost of converting the fields ranges from $3.5 million to $4.5 million, said Jeff Watling, city parks director.<\/p>\n
Fremmerlid prefers a fast solution.<\/p>\n
“You need to decide today if you are going to invest in our youth or continue to wait,” Fremmerlid said as he looked at the many players in the crowd. “We want to see these kids play on new fields and not have to wait to see their kids on new fields.”<\/p>\n
John Hodgson, city chief administrative officer, said at the Council meeting that the boys and girls in the city’s youth soccer program do have enough fields.<\/p>\n
“The kids in our youth programs have not missed a game,” Hodgson said.<\/p>\n
Hodgson said there is a long-term plan to work with the Kent School District to add fields at Kent-Meridian as well as Kentridge high schools.<\/p>\n
“We invite any private groups that want to partner with us,” Hodgson said.<\/p>\n
In other testimony about the budget, nearly a dozen people showed up to speak against the city administration’s decision to cut from the 2010 budget the Teen Outdoor Adventure Club. The club is run by the parks department.<\/p>\n
The club offers overnight trips or day visits to college campuses as well as horseback riding and other adventure trips aimed at building relationships among teens as well as exposing them to new opportunities.<\/p>\n
“It provided me with college visitations as far away as Pullman to see Washington State University,” said Mimi Mulambo, a Kent-Meridian High student, to the Council. “It gives seniors a chance to see campuses. Because of my visits, I hope to attend the University of Washington or Pacific Lutheran University.”<\/p>\n
City staff expects to save about $250,000 next year by eliminating the Teen Outdoor Adventure Club as well as the extended trips for senior citizens offered through the Kent Senior Activity Center, Watling said. The cutbacks include two city jobs – a youth teen specialist and a senior center program assistant.<\/p>\n
“We had to make very difficult decisions,” Watling said about the cuts. “Because of diminished resources, we can no longer offer those programs.”<\/p>\n
The city administration has proposed overall cuts of $4.6 million in the 2010 budget.<\/p>\n
Raplee said in a phone interview Wednesday that she didn’t know if the Council would try to reinstate the outdoor program. She said the Council has asked for more information from city staff about the cost of the programs.<\/p>\n
“It comes down to what does government provide when budgets are tight,” Raplee said. “We have to draw the line.”<\/p>\n
Raplee said she is certain the students had worthwhile experiences in the city program, but wonders if they could find similar personal growth and leadership skills through groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.<\/p>\n
“If the program is not reinstated, there is an opportunity for service clubs to come forward and help,” Raplee said.<\/p>\n
To view the 2010 preliminary budget, go to www.ci.kent.wa.us\/financebudget\/index.aspx?id=1226.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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