The Park Commission on Tuesday approved allocating the last remnant of the fund, about $65,000 dollars, to the city's Building Maintenance Department for the repair of backstop fencing issues they say have become hazardous at several baseball fields throughout the park system.

 

Anthony Stracuzzi, the department's parks supervisor, stated that the commission had voted several years earlier in favor of reserving a portion of the $ 1 million donation from Pittsfield resident Larry Bossidy for the purposes of upkeep and maintenance on the parks' fields.

 

"What happened to commissioners that swore an oath, and they voted, and they were supposed to save $200,000 to put aside to maintain these fields?"  asked Stracuzzi. "To be honest with you, I'm looking for what you have left."

 

"We have never asked for a penny of Bossidy money," added Stracuzzi, of the maintenance crew.

 

Stracuzzi said the city "could spend half a million dollars easily" repairing fencing issues throughout the park systems. It is focusing on the ones it considers to be the greatest potential safety hazards to youth ball players.

 

"I have a list of a good 20 other fences in the city of Pittsfield, that need work," Stracuzzi told the commission.

 

The commissioners approved $38,000 immediately for backstops at several fields, and voted to earmark all that remains for the department to draw from as needed to address additional issues later.

 

"I guess the point here is if these things regard safety then we have to get after it,"  said Chairman Dr. John Herman

 

"Through years of use- or misuse- these fields have become safety issues," agreed Commissioner Anthony DiMartino.

 

As the last of the Bossidy Bucks, the only parks funding the commission directly controls, has dwindled over the past two years, the commission has expressed growing concern about how park maintenance and small improvement projects will be funded, particularly in light of additional upkeep costs arising from new capital projects undertaken in recent years, including the soon to be completed Pittsfield Common.

 

Herman asked Buildings and Maintenance Director Peter Sondrini if more advocacy by the Parks Commission to the mayor and City Council would be helpful in drawing attention to many unfunded park needs.

 

"Maybe five more voices might be helpful," suggested Herman.  

 

"It should be expected, there should be no discussion," said Herman of the budgetary allocation needed to maintain city athletic field at a reasonable level of playability.  "We're all into health, we all want kids playing sports, we all think it's a great activity for them to be involved with, physically and mentally."

 

For now, Stracuzzi said the remainder of the Bossidy money set aside would allow the department to undertake key repairs on those fields as necessary.  

 

"Rather than somebody coming in saying they want money for a dog park, or whatever they want it for," said Stracuzzi.  "Let's keep it in the athletic fields, and what we're doing with the maintenance of them."