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Arnold Anderson

SUSSEX CORNER The new council has heard a long list of problems with its ball field and promptly voted to give the Sussex Minor Baseball Association $1,000 to help fix them.

Association president Arnold Anderson spoke of the troubles with the only field in the area that can accommodate midget play. Last year the field deteriorated to the point that other teams refused to return to play there and the midget team gave up trying to use it.

"We had to play out of Hampton," he told council.

Problems with a dugout that was destroyed, plus field drainage and debris and sand left on the field were the major impediments that have cost the association thousands of dollars and depleted their funds. The midget team has 15 players, raising $1,500 a year in fees, but the bats alone cost $1,000, he said.

"We have to use wooden bats," he said. "They're big, strong boys and they break them."

The players and families donated enough wood to build a structure to replace the dugout, one of several examples of how the team has had to make do. What it wants is a greater commitment from the village for continuous funding.

Mayor Eric Cunningham asked Anderson to provide council with a budget.

"We'll do whatever we can," he said, adding council would consider his larger request during this fall's budget discussions.

But in the meantime, $1,000 was earmarked for the group to get over their financial crisis.

Anderson told council he had sent out 60 letters to groups and businesses asking for financial support for the team and the field. As of June 11, he had received lots of verbal support, but only one cheque from a local business.