Elizabethton Twins baseball will officially receive the green light for the 2017 this week.
The Elizabethton City Council will convene inside City Hall on Thursday, Jan. 12, to address matters heading into the new year, including the minor league baseball team continuing play at Joe O’Brien Field for at least one more season. Councilmen will vote to approve the one-year contract extension by Minnesota.
Minnesota Director of Minor League Operations Brad Steil sent a letter City Mayor Curt Alexander December 14, confirming to the city that the Twins would return to Joe O’Brien for the 2017 season under the same conditions of the management agreement put in place in 2014.
Steil stated in the letter that while the Twins will be back for this season, the arrangement is “only a temporary solution” while negotiations will get underway for possible renovations at the field.
The Elizabethton Twins Task Force, created by the City Council, created a $3.2 million proposal for work to be completed at the field – which would include a one-third contribution from Minnesota and the possibility of private donors entering the discussions to contribute funds. With the contribution additions to the proposal, councilmen voted unanimously to go with the proposal as parties begin to work through the details for work to be completed.
The proposal provided to council by the Task Force added the improvements would be broken into two phases. The first phase of renovations would cost $2,368,000 while phase two was expected to cost $832,000. The items discussed in renovations included:
• Construction of a new Elizabethton Twins clubhouse facility, renovations to the other clubhouses
• Stadium seating
• Riverside Park improvements
• Replacement of stadium knee wall along safety netting
• New press box
• Building of a new picnic area.
The renovations would also benefit Elizabethton High School due to the baseball team using the park, according to the proposal.
Elizabethton Twins General Manager and Parks & Recreation Director Mike Mains recently told the STAR that the goal now moving forward to work closely with Minnesota to come to an agreement to keep the Twins inside the confines of Joe O’Brien Field.
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A variety of agenda items highlight Thursday’s meeting, which include:
• A second reading and public hearing to amend the 2016-17 fiscal year budget for the Elizabethton City Schools System.
• Consideration to approve the renewal of compliance for Doe River Wine & Spirits, Lighthouse Wine & Liquor and Eastside Liquor and Wines.
• Action on a resolution to abandon a right-of-way running perpendicular on the 400 Block of Allen Avenue and the 400 Block of Ferguson Avenue.
• Action on a resolution to approve a grant for the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library.