SIDNEY — Baseball field No. 3 at Custenborder Fields has been renamed Tim Clayton Field.
Sidney City Council adopted an ordinance, Monday, June 11, making the name change official after the Sidney Recreation Board recommended last month that council make the change.
Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier said Sidney’s Amateur Baseball Commission (SABC) President Mike Cole brought the request to the city in April to change the name of the field that was in years past called Field B. Cole told the Sidney Recreation Board the honor would come after 30 years of Clayton’s involvement with the baseball program.
Along with Cole’s letter, letters of recommendation were also submitted to the city by Sidney City Schools Athletic Director Mitch Hoying; fellow coach, past SABC treasurer and friend of Clayton, Darrin Davis; and current SABC Vice President Dan Dicke.
“First off, I want to thank my wife, Lisa. She probably had to sacrifice the most for all the time that I spent down at the ball park. I want to thank everybody on the council for building this in and accepting this honor. This is a great honor. I cannot think of a higher honor a person could be given from their community than having their name put on something and be recognized in the same ways (as) Dick Flanagan, Bob New, Mayor Humphrey, and my dear friend and mentor, Jerry “Jaws” Knoop,” Clayton said after he was presented the new field sign by Mayor Mike Barhorst. “I always tell all the kids I coach, whether it’s football or in baseball, I always say, ‘Now you are a part of my family for the next couple of months.’ Well, as you can see by these guys (in attendance) showing up today, that family isn’t just for a couple of months. It’s years and hopefully a lifetime.”
Council adopted two other ordinances Monday to make supplement appropriations for 2018 and to amend a section of the codified ordinances to establish the Shelby Public Transit System’s 2018-19 rates.
The transit system contract rates are about a 2 percent increase for July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, said Transit Manger Ron Schalow. The rates will increase to $61 from $59.74 per hour, to $23.25 from $22.66 per trip, and to $5 from $4.89 per mile.
There is no increase of rates for non-contract fares, which is service for the general public.
Council was also introduced to an ordinance to proceed with street lighting improvements. After reviewing existing rates, said Gary Clough, assistant city manager/public works director, he recommended that council increase rates by 1 cent. If adopted, the “standard” lights rates would increase to 32 cents per lineal foot, up from 31 cents; and for “decorative” street lights it would increase to $1.12 per lineal foot, up from $1.11. Council will give further consideration to the ordinance at the June 25 council meeting.
Council also adopted the three following resolutions:
• To authorize the city manager to enter into an income-sharing agreement with the Sidney Board of Education to compensate the school for property taxes foregone as a result of the enterprise zone-abatement agreement with Cargill Inc.
The city estimated that tax sharing would provide the Sidney School District with an estimated $50,866 during the life of the 10-year abatement.
• To authorize the city manager to enter into a state-controlled, closed-loop system agreement with the Department of Transportation (ODOT) in regard to the Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores project.
The agreement outlines that ODOT will be responsible for operating and maintaining the two traffic signals at the Interstate 75 exit ramps, and Sidney will be responsible for operating and maintaining the traffic signal at Fair Road and Vandemark Road. ODOT will install and maintain a closed-loop system for the three traffic signals to synchronize traffic flow as necessary along Fair Road, working in cooperation with the city.
• To authorize the law director to initiate litigation against Knights Investments of Ohio LLC to enforce compliance with the local zoning, building, engineering and fire regulations and prohibit the use of non-complying property situated at 2301 Campbell Road.
