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NEW ULM-- Harman Park football field could be receiving much needed rejuvenation in the near future thanks to New Ulm Area Catholic Schools.
The New Ulm Park and Rec Commission approved a $12,000 donation to install irrigation in the Harman Park football field Monday.
The donation comes from the New Ulm Area Catholic Schools (NUACS), whose 7-12 Cathedral Greyhound football teams have used the field for practices and games. The board also approved a stipend up to $500 yearly. The stipend will be charged to the schools if there are additional utility and maintenance expenses associated with the project.
The committee had three options. Accept the donation as-is with no stipend, accept the donation and add the stipend, or reject the donation.
Commission Chair Carisa Buegler asked if stipends are charged for other irrigated fields. Assistant Director Cheryl Kormann replied they are not, but Harman field is a special case.
"Harman is a little bit different [because] NUACS is the only user group other than Hermannfest uses the field," she said. "[With the] softball fields anybody can use them. Others use them for practice. Families use them for fun with their children. [NUACS] are the main user and the main benefactor of [Harman Field]"
After City Councilman Dave Christian motioned to approve the donation and stipend and Commission member Kurt Johnson seconded, Kormann raised the concern of what would happen if the NUACS rejected the $500 stipend.
"Are you still willing to accept this donation even if they say 'we can’t afford to take on any additional cost'?" Kormann asked.
Johnson asked Kormann if she had contacted NUACS prior to the meeting. Kormann said she had contacted Athletic Director Alan Woitas, who indicated the commission would need to inform the schools of the stipend and discuss it with their board.
Buegler addressed both sides of the discussion and recommended moving forward with the motion from Christian and Johnson to accept the donation and add the stipend.
"It seems reasonable given [NUACS] is taking on a new expense," she said. "We have the direction from the city council we can’t take [the expense] on. This will add expense and water costs and maintenance for our staff. [NUACS] are the sole users of [the field] and we’re not charging them any practice fee and we’re open in 2025 and beyond to discussing it further, but it would help us get that first year and get it established and re-establish the grass to make it a better practice and playing field for them."
The approval is a recommendation for the New Ulm City Council, who will vote on this issue at their next meeting July 18.