by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
A joint agreement for turf management of athletic fields in Sartell was approved by the Sartell City Council at its Feb. 27 meeting.
The contract includes four signatories: the City of Sartell, the Sartell-St. Stephen School District, the Pinecone Central Park Association and the service provider, ProFields/Brian Deyak (the man who does the work).
Turf management is a complex way to keep athletic fields in prime playing condition. Through spring and summer, the turf manager mows, seeds, fertilizes, applies top-dressing, aerates the grass, and applies insecticides or herbicides when needed.
Aerial colored slides of the work done by ProFields last summer were shown to the city council, and its members voiced their approval.
The costs for the contracted work will be split three ways: City of Sartell $19,800; School District $21,000; Pinecone Central Park Association $36,500.
The fields that will be turf-managed and maintained are the Oak Ridge Elementary baseball field, the Sartell varsity football field and – for the city and park association – Champion Baseball Field, regulation soccer fields at Pinecone Central Park and the youth baseball fields in that park.
Council member Pat Lynch praised the agreement and the results of work performed by ProFields/Brian Deyak, calling it “a great first venture for both of us (city and school district). The beautifully maintained fields are appreciated by the many out-of-towners who come to games in Sartell and spend money here, Lynch added.
City Administrator/Financial Manager Mary Degiovanni said the joint agreement is very affordable for the services rendered and with other entities splitting the cost, the city gets “the best bang for the bucks,” she added.
