Paying for A Field of Dreams

Baseball season is here for area high schools, but parents in Murray County are upset that they are having to pay, so their kids can play America's Favorite Pasttime.   This is a problem that came to a head, just before the first bat got swung.  The dispute over where their kids can play, threatens to turn their Field of Dreams into a nightmare..

Kids from North Murray High School are practicing on a practice field that is not up to full baseball regulations..
Parents say, that's the problem.. They can't use a county-owned field without being charged.  "Per game, 200 dollars is the fee that they came up with," says parent John Raley.  "We're two home games into the season, we've got 5 home games left, and the charge has just started."

The problem began with North Murray High School, split off from Murray County High School.   The new school atletic fields have not been built yet, but the kids need a place to play baseball.  The only alternative is the county-owned recreation park, which is maintained by the Dugout Club..  "They have a contract with the county just to keep up the field," Raley says, "they maintain the fields, they pay for supplies to keep the field up, and that's what they're charging us for."  That's what's got North Murray County School parents upset.  "The field is county owned," says parent Shelly Raley, "but there are multiple schools that use it without charge."  "We've already paid," says parent Doug Patterson, "we pay it everyday in taxes, they're saying well, 'we did this, we did that, the field, we built it, a big dugout, we did that."

School Board Member Becky Whaley told us, the dispute is not a school board or superintendent issue.  "Whenever you talk to the administration, they're saying it's the Murray County Dugout Club," says Mrs. Raley, "which is a private group."   An anonymous donor stepped up and paid for the first two games of the season to be played on the recreation field.. Parents say, they've asked for an accounting of what that money is being paid for, but say they haven't gotten it.  Meanwhile, with five home games left, the season could be a bumpy one for both players, AND parents.  "In the long run, the kids are going to suffer for a lot worse, with all this," says Mr. Patterson.

School Board member Whaley told me, she had heard about this problem, but thought it had been taken care of, between North Murray's athletic director and principal and the Dugout Club, with the 200 dollars to be paid.  She was surprised to hear that it's wasn't taken care of.  She says, the new athletic fields for North Murray should be finished in time for next year's competitions.