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Published on 06/12/1996 All articles from this issue

A dream of fields: discussing upgrades in Los Altos

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

Los Altos residents dream of fields, safe playing fields for theirchildren. But if they repair them, who will pay?

Nobody has much money to help so the playing fields task forcewhich began meeting in January has searched for ways to "makethe fields safe, good, efficiently maintained, without breakinganybody's bank," said Los Altos Mayor Patti Williams.

The task force includes representatives from the city, the LosAltos School District and the groups who use the fields.

The current proposal includes plans to replace worn sprinklers,fill in low spots, kill weeds, reseed the fields, fertilize andbuy or contract for a more efficient mower.

The costs for this "repair and maintenance" are estimatedat $90,000. Williams said the city might pay one third, the "user"groups one third and the balance could be raised by communitygroups.

School fields include 34 acres at nine sites. The task force isfocusing on fixing up a field on the north side of town, at EganIntermediate School, and one on the south, probably at Oak School,said Peter Johnson, president of Los Altos American Little Leagueand a member of the task force.

" 'User' groups have given up on Blach (Intermediate Schoolfields) - that's how bad it is," said Francis La Poll, citycouncilman and a member of the task force.

Johnson is working with the schools about the most efficient useof their maintenance dollars. And he's talking with groups whouse the fields about raising fees.

Currently, "user fees" are higher than in other cities,he said.

A parent now pays $90 for an 8-year-old child to play baseballin Los Altos. In surrounding towns, fees are typically $60 orless, Johnson said.

He's worried about increasing costs for Los Altos children.

The city's proposal for upgrading the playing fields assumes theschool district will not reduce the $125,000 that they currentlyspend on field maintenance.

But the school district faces its own money pressures.

"The schools are looking at $450,000 in budget cuts thisyear," said school board member Teri Sachs. A decrease inplaying field maintenance is on the list of possible areas toprune back. "We try to keep the cuts as far out of the classroomas possible," she said.

The school district is scheduled to adopt its budget June 17.

But "even in the face of program cuts in other areas,"said Randy Kenyon, assistant superintendent for business services,"the board has maintained the funding level" for thefields for the past several years.

At the June 3 school board meeting, parents came and asked tocontinue to maintain the current funding of the fields.

"To cut further would reduce the likelihood that the taskforce could proceed," Johnson said. He hopes to arrive atan equitable funding plan with the three parties of the task force.