Before the Cuba Parks and Recreation Board got to business on Feb. 10, President Karen Groom made a statement to those present regarding their first meeting back on Jan. 13, and all the arguing that took place over the vote made by the Board of Aldermen and the Mayor to disband and reappoint new members to the Parks and Rec Board.

“That meeting was our first meeting as a board after Mayor Copling, along with a majority vote by city council to abolish the former board and begin with a fresh outlook,” Groom said. "The actions of last meeting will not be engaged upon nor tolerated as the current board will conduct business in a manner it was intended.”

Groom then opened the floor to citizen participation. Terry Miles, representative of Crazed & Caged Promotion LLC, came to talk about fencing for the May 9 demolition derby they are planning at Hood Park.

“Last year, we had orange fence for a barrier to keep people from getting where the cars and stuff were in the pit—we didn’t have enough,” Miles said.

It is used to keep people out of where the cars are, and they plan to keep reusing it for each demolition derby they put on.

They have already purchased the fence, but are looking to be reimbursed by the city because they plan to house it in the city shed until they need it again. The total, with $32.99 a roll plus tax, would cost the city $358.27 in reimbursement, with approximately $360.50 added on for posts.

A vote of 8-0 was passed to bring the board’s approval to the Board of Aldermen.

Aimee Halbert, Crawford County Fair Board member, explained that at the last fair board meeting, they decided they would like to dedicate the exhibit hall in memory of Linda Bast.

“We’ll take care of the cost, but we just need permission to hang those signs and potentially help hang those signs,” Halbert said. 

Beth Kight, Parks and Rec Board member, asked if there was going to be a sign inside and outside, and what the sign would be made out of.

“One inside, one outside,” Halbert said. “We would like both to be metal and permanent.”

Until they can get the sizing of the signs, the board decided to table the subject.

Cyndi Mercer, a former Parks and Rec member, brought a couple of issues to the board’s attention, starting with funding being moved without permission.

“There is 35 percent of fairgrounds (fund) for Jerry (Montgomery, Grounds Maintenance Supervisor) and all the guys that do all the lawn care. All that 35 percent of budgeting was paid for out of the park/school tax. Someone moved it without authority, and it’s been being paid for from the general funds. That was not approved through council, that was not approved through our park board,” Mercer said. “So you guys might want to look into that.”

At the moment, those who do the lawn care for the fairgrounds are being paid from the general revenue fund instead of the parks fund.

“The other thing is, it’s been brought to the attention, too, of the concession stand that everything has been taken out of the concession stand that the new football program is going to be utilizing,” Mercer said. “There’s nothing in there. The sink’s gone. Everything’s gone.”

Christine Young, board member, questioned the ownership of the items that were taken.

“My understanding was the Cuba Youth Football raised their own money for those items,” Young said.

Ciara Kitchen, Crawford County Youth Football President, added that in her new contract for the field, it says that anything that is affixed stays in the concession stands.

“My understanding is, like the scoreboard is something that is put up there permanently, correct? The minute it is put up, it belongs to the city,” said Vice President Faye Howard. “I’m disappointed in the adults, and I hope that this gets all straightened out so these kids can really enjoy the football program.”

Admission and parking are not charged, so Crawford County Youth Football’s only way to make money is through sponsorships and concessions.

Beth Kight, board member, advised that the new program start looking into grants to help.

Kitchen mentioned that they have already been looking into grants, and mentioned that a donor was willing to donate cabinets.

The issue was tabled until the next meeting.

Groom asked if there was going to be better shading at the pool.

“It’s almost like you need, to me, some type of, not enclosed, but a roof over you, because your shades going to move every hour,” Montgomery said.

Young asked if there was an estimated timeline for when the pool was going to be sanded.

Montgomery explained that the pool can’t be drained too early without potentially causing damage, so, depending on the weather, they are looking at March.

They also brought up possibly putting ads out for hiring for positions at the pool. According to Kight, the city’s contract with the American Red Cross, which allows the city to do training at its own pool, will expire on April 9, but Mercer said that it expired last summer.

While the answer to whether the contract expired already or is about to went unsolved, the board worries that they will have a hard time getting people to want to apply. The pool only had about eight to 10 lifeguards last year which the board deemed as not enough.

Howard wondered if there were other ways that they should advertise.

“I’m wondering too, not only in the paper, but we could get a banner at Mobil so that people could see that we’re looking for. There’s not that many people at that age group that even get the paper,” Howard said.

A motion to take a recommendation to the Board of Aldermen to put out ads for jobs at the pool was approved with an 8-0 vote.

The Parks and Rec board discussed the pond in Hood Park.

“It’s only five-foot deep,” Montgomery said. “Needs to be 10-foot.”

It needs to be dug out, and a fountain has already been ordered to be put in.

The next meeting will be held at 6:30 on March 10 at the City Hall Board of Aldermen council room.

In other business, Karina Rice, the newest member of the Parks and Rec Board, opened the meeting by introducing herself and explaining her reasoning for wanting to be on the board.

“A little bit about me. I’ve been married for 28 years, have lived in this community most of my life. I am a mom to seven children. I have cared for foster children and adopted two,” Rice said. “My values are rooted in Christian faith, which causes me to lead with integrity, humility and fairness. For me, that means listening before speaking, being willing to work through disagreements respectfully, and making decisions without personal agendas or bias, always with the greater good of our community in mind.”