Playground association may move ball field fence

Despite some backlash, the Walnutport Playground Association may proceed with moving one of its ball field fences in.

That was the general consensus of borough council after the matter was revisited on Thursday amid a few heated exchanges.

Brian Filchner, president of the Walnutport Playground Association, said the plan has been to move the fence and scoreboard, but that the light was in question.

Jason Smith, vice president of the Walnutport Playground Association, explained the group’s intention.

“It’s to allow more teams on all three fields,” Smith said. “I’m here for the kids.”

However, resident Ron Kuntz, a past president of the WPA, said he saw things differently.

“You’re limiting it to what can be there,” Kuntz said. “All that I see up here is about softball.”

Kuntz did compliment them for cleaning the fields up, adding, “you do a great job of that.”

“I don’t understand why you want to move the field,” he said. “By you moving the fence, you’re going to change everything.”

Kuntz added, “if you don’t move the fence, it doesn’t change anything.”

“You’re hurting baseball by doing this,” he said. “You’re only looking at softball.”

Filchner said the ball fields are set up with 60-foot bases, and that the infield is not big enough to handle 70-foot bases for baseball.

“Years went by and we didn’t have boys’ baseball,” Filchner said, noting that it’s been 10 years since the boys teams played there. “The playground is not chasing the boys team away.”

Kuntz told council they need to think before they react.

“You make decisions before you know all the facts,” he said. “Now you are where you are.”

Council President William Turk explained his perspective.

“I’m not against anything being done,” Turk said. “But, you’ve got to think about the future.”

Debbie Paules, assistant secretary who attended the meeting as a taxpayer, shared her thoughts on the matter.

“This is the Borough of Walnutport,” Paules said. “And we have a playground and our boys don’t use it because there’s no place to play here.”

But Filchner said that isn’t the case.

“There is a place to play,” he said.

Paules retorted, “it’s become a softball thing.”

Smith then spoke of the recent success the Northern Lehigh softball team has had.

“Our girls won districts,” he said. “I’m pretty proud of it.”

After it was noted the motion was made on Feb. 13, borough solicitor Michael Corriere told council it could make a motion to reconsider.

But no such action was taken by council on Thursday.

Filchner then reiterated the group’s intention.

“We’re looking to bring the fence in to allow the older kids to be able to play on field No. 3,” he said. “We want a 200-foot fence so that older kids can play on field No. 3.”

Filchner said they already have a signed contract and got bids.

Councilman David Stankovic said this should be a lesson learned by council.

“We cannot jump into something anymore without thinking about it,” Stankovic said. “I’ve been in favor of boys baseball all along.”

Councilman Michael Wentz told the group they weren’t gaining anything by moving the fence in.

“I (previously) voted the right way; for the future,” Gaston said. “Once you pull it in, you’re done; now it’s going to cost you more to move it back.”

Smith reiterated, “we’re trying to get more kids on more fields.”

Based on all the information council had at its disposal, Turk told the group it can “go ahead” with its original plan to move the fence in.

Last week, several council members voiced concerns after council, on a 5-2 vote last month, agreed to the measure to accommodate its burgeoning recreation program.

At that time, council heard from Filchner, who said at that time the group had its largest sign-ups ever, which saw 110 girls sign up. This will constitute nine teams.

In total, he said 125 youth signed up. Of those, 110 are girls and 15 boys.

On behalf of the playground association, he then asked council if it would be possible to move the fence in on field No. 1 from 275 feet to 200 feet.

By making the change, Filchner said they would have three fields where they can put any teams on at any time. In addition, he said it would also create more open space for the playground.

Council then, with Councilmen Harold Greene and Gaston opposed, agreed to move the fence and scoreboard between fields 1 to 3 in to 200 feet.

Filchner said the cost would be around $6,500, and would entail moving the fence in, moving the foul poles in, and all the labor involved with that.

However, he said the cost would be taken care of by the playground association, and noted it wouldn’t cost the borough or the taxpayers any money.