McComb Recreation Director Joseph Parker discussed a trio of issues pertaining to the McComb Sports Park in east McComb at a City Board work session Tuesday night.
For the past four years, Parker and his staff have been expanding the Sports Park, and the project is almost finished, thanks to funding from a 3 percent tax on hotel and motel rooms in the city.
Architect Steve Cox presented plans for press boxes and concession stands at the two newly constructed baseball fields, which should finish the major improvements at the park.
A single building with concessions on the ground level and press boxes above will be placed behind the home plate of Field No. 3, and two buildings, one for the press and one for concessions and restrooms, will be added around Field No. 4.
Parker also plans to move the historic Bacot Manning house from in front of the Sports Park to the McComb Archery Range on Highway 98 East.
Mayor Whitney Rawlings said the house could be utilized at the range and it would free up more space for public parking at the Sports Park.
Since the additions, Parker has been in a good yet bad predicament: a lack of employees.
Multiple baseball and softball tournaments have taken over the facility, and Parker has to use all recreation employees to the maximum, with some employees working up to 60-hour weeks. When the expansion was in planning stages, Parker told selectmen he would need more workers as the demand to play there grew.
“I think I remember being warned of this,” Selectman Michael Cameron said.
The recreation department has 11 full-time employees including Parker and approximately 30 part-time staffers. Parker is hoping to bring his full-time staff up to 15 with the addition of four positions: a program coordinator, a superintendent, a recreational technician and a programmer.
The program coordinator spot was originally advertised as programmer two when titles were combined, but Parker would like to see the position brought back and programmer two deleted.
The other three positions were on city payroll but got the axe for budgetary reasons. Right now, the city has to pay overtime to cover events seven days a week.
Parker said with the additional staff, full-time employees would be able to work regular 40-hour weeks. Without them, he may have to turn interested parties away.
The only question from selectmen was how the salaries would be funded. The recreation department more than doubled its expected income last fiscal year, bringing in about $100,000. City administrator Quordiniah Lockley said about half of those funds could be used for new positions and other monies would come from the general fund.
“On one side of me, I feel bad asking for three or four new employees,” Parker said. “But the other half of me — we need it. The city needs it.”
