By MaryHelen Swanson

Play ball!

Sure, but when you have 50 teams of 13-16 kids, that requires a lot of ball fields.

In North Branch, according to North Branch Baseball Association representative Don Simons, there isn't enough fields to go around.

Simons was at the North Branch Council meeting Monday night with four serous issues, perhaps the most important, the need for more ball fields for summer teams.

Simons told the three-member city council (Larry Erickson and Amy Oehlers were absent) that his association does not pay Bob Gustafson, coordinator for adult ball teams in Chisago County, for anything he does not do.

Simons noted also the number of kids wanting to play ball from pre-kindergarten to 9th grade.

Even using Harris fields and new fields at Roger Johnson Park, plus school fields and fields at Harder Park, there are not enough fields.

He informed the council that lighting at two fields, one baseball and one softball, at Harder Park would extend playing time and thus offer some more fields.

Cost, he said, to light the fields is about $156,000.

Saying he believes in children and that they should be allowed to play ball, Simons informed the council that he started a petition to get the lighting done and to date has 250 signatures.

Simons also suggested that the concession stand at harder Park be offered to an organization to run with half of the proceeds kept by the organization and the other half going to the city for ball field maintenance.

There was some discussion about the adult ball leagues using some of the North Branch fields on three nights of the week.

Simons felt it should be kids first.

He noted that this year 31 teams want to play on Tuesdays.

Councilor Kathy Blomquist and acting city administrator Bridgitte Konrad suggested that Simons attend a meeting of the City Park, Trails and Open Space commission.

Those meetings are aired on cable, check with city hall for times and days.

In other business, the council:

• Approved a conditional use permit for Greg Schneller to operate an auction house in the old industrial park with conditions set by the city's planning commission, with two more added by the council concerning off-street parking.

Upon receiving approval, Schneller asked if the CUP would also be OK if he used a different site in the industrial park. City Planner Al Cottingham said he would have to go through the CUP process all over in that case.

* After a second attempt, approved a preliminary plat for Craig Johnson for Greenwood Estates. The approval, 3-1, with Councilor Theresa Furman opposed, included a condition that 360th Street be dedicated to the public for a right of way, but not improved at this time.

• Considered a sketch plan presented by Kevin Moen for eight lots of 2.5 acres or more. However, it turns out that Lot one is not 2.5 acres as required and Furman didn't agree with the idea, nor did the mayor. Moen will work on the sketch plan to try to correct the situation.

• Approved a revised Wildridge plat to include 13 lots and 2 outlots. Representing Dalmark, the developer, Steve Mork explained that the replat was in response to a faltering housing market in the area. Mork said the plan now is to build and sell 10 senior duplex units at $175,000 each and hopes to sell them in the next year. Mork said Dalmark would be back in the future to replat the site when housing markets have improved.

• Approved a loan to Comforts of Home, a new assisted living facility just completed in NB south of Perkins. The loan is from the city's EDA revolving loan fund in the amount of $100,000. According to finance director David Stutelberg, that fund currently stands at $105,000. Comforts of Home is to repay the loan at 5 percent over a period of five years. The repaid money will go back into the revolving loan fund. Councilor Furman, however, was not pleased with the loan, and noted that the company asked for and got approval to build a 36-unit building. Now, she said, they have only 30.

In requesting the loan, Comforts of Home indicated they needed the money to purchase a special piece of equipment, which they offered as collateral for the loan. They also said the equipment would allow them to expand the facility and add jobs.

Furman contended that those jobs were to be included in the original approval, and therefore not new jobs.

Furman noted also that the company said at a council meeting they were not asking the city for any TIF assistance or anything.

Stutelberg said the project changed in scope when the company learned of the WAC and SAC fees. They had to cut back, he said.

Furman wondered why the council was not made aware of the changes.

Councilor Kathy Blomquist said they had to change the scope for their economic health, the can only build what they can afford, she said.

Still, she said the company should have told the city when they applied for the loan.

Even the mayor said it would have been good to get an explanation.

The loan approval came on a 3-1 vote with Furman opposed.

• Gave approval for the Post Review to use the gazebo at Central Park for a sale on citywide garage sale day. The proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society through the Relay for Life.