PACKET 7 15 2025 website 2

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PUBLIC WORKS 
 
TO:  Randall Dowling, City Manager 
FROM:  Kevin L. Helms, Project Manager 
Cc:  Ben Burchfield, Public Works Director 
  Matt Siniard, Parks and Recreation Director 
DATE:  July 2, 2025 
SUBJECT: Regional Park Turf Installation 
Background 
Following discussion at the 2025 Strategic Summit in February, $1,500,000 was included in the FY26 
budget to be used for turf installation on five infields at Regional Park.  Recently, Matt Siniard and Angela 
Robbins joined me at meetings with Baseline Sports Construction and Turf of America to assess products 
and pricing for this project.  Both companies can provide turf through a purchasing cooperative.  Baseline 
has a proven track record including countless projects throughout the region.  Their work includes several 
projects with the City of Athens, Athens City Schools, and McMinn County. 
 
Once this project is complete, the five fields will have the ability to accommodate numerous base distances 
up to 90-foot. By adding this capability, the fields will be able to accommodate both softball and baseball.  
This is because field dimensions for the upper age groups in baseball require 90-foot bases. Currently there 
is n o facility in this area  that can host baseball games requiring 90 -foot bases on more than one field 
concurrently.  Additionally, since McMinn County High School and TWU’s baseball f ields have 90-foot 
bases, they could be included in tournament play with the city to attract even larger tournaments.  
 
Cost 
The cost to turf the existing infield area while also expanding them to allow for 90-foot bases is 
$1,342,815.23.  This fee includes a field groomer needed to perform regular maintenance on the turf. 
Other fees include: 
• Required Bonds - $13,428.15 
• Grading Plan Desing & Permitting - $15,000 
• Field 4 Drainage Repairs - $50,000 
 
Significant drainage issues exist in both the infield and outfield of field four.  The process of installing turf 
on the infield will rectify the drainage issues on the infield, but drainage issues in the outfield will still exist 
without additional work.  If these issues are not addressed, much of the benefit from turf installation will 
be negated on field four because standing water will remain in the outfield long after the turf infields will 
have drained sufficiently enough to resume play. 
 
 
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