Alpine

The Alpine City Council recently approved an interlocal agreement with the Alpine Independent School District to improve and run Manuel Payne Softball Field at Kokernot Park.

The agreement to share responsibility and funding for updates and improvements to the field was unanimously approved by the City Council as part of the consent agenda during the July 7 council meeting.

The project is set to include improvements to the field, fencing, lighting, dugouts and other areas.

The deal works well for both the city and the district, said City of Alpine Mayor Catherine Eaves. The district will have a field for its softball team, while residents will still have use of the field, and the city will have a partner in funding needed improvements, she said.

“[The school district] had been sharing a field with Sul Ross, but the problems were that they needed to practice at the same times, and they had games at the same time. So, it was always an issue,” Eaves said.

“Our Manuel Payne Field, it was more for Little League, because Little League was using it a lot,” Eaves said. “And they will still be able to use it. AISD is gonna be in charge of scheduling, so we don’t have to worry about dedicating a staff member to handling that. It’ll still be open to the public. Of course, the softball girls will have top priority since the school district is putting in quite an investment into something that they don’t own.”

“The agreement outlines a cooperative framework in which both entities contribute resources — such as labor, materials, equipment and funding — to complete necessary repairs and upgrades that will enhance safety, playability, and long-term maintenance of the facility,” a city report noted.

According to the agreement, the improvement project will cost $1.3 million, and each entity will contribute half ($650,000) of the funding. The agreement also maps out how the City of Alpine will retain ownership of the field, with the school district being responsible for field maintenance and event operations, including scheduling.

“District shall be responsible, at its cost, for routine maintenance and upkeep of the softball field necessary to maintain a safe and high-quality playing surface,” states the agreement. This would include sweeping and minor infield maintenance of the turf, field preparation and non-structural maintenance needed for normal use.

The city will remain responsible for structures and systems at the field, including maintenance and repair of all building structures and facility systems, such as restrooms and plumbing fixtures, electrical systems, and lighting, according to the agreement.

Eaves also hopes that the improved field will attract sports tournaments to the area, supporting the local economy.

“From what I hear from locals, we used to have tournaments in Alpine, and some of the locals were children at that time, and they played in them,” Eaves said. “And that just sparked an idea in the council’s mind that we should become a tournament destination again and help improve our visitation, because whether everybody likes it or not, the economy in Alpine depends on tourism dollars to come in as an influx into our circulation.”

Also approved during the July 7 meeting were the city’s application for multiple grants including:

  • A USDA Rural Development Predevelopment Planning Grant that offers $60,000 to assist with planning and development of water infrastructure projects for a $20,000 matching investment from the city.
  • A USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant that provides funds to help cities with infrastructure for emergency drinking water and protection of water supplies.
  • A grant from the Texas Scenic City Certification Program which supports community efforts to maintain their unique character, to enhance public spaces and promote public pride.

The City Council voted unanimously to remove a resolution to adopt a new City of Alpine Master Fee Schedule from Tuesday’s agenda. The new Master Fee Schedule is set to include an increase in water rates. This was the third delay in voting on the resolution, and it followed a workshop on the Master Fee Schedule.

The delay centers on the increase for customers who use the largest amounts of water — more than 10,000 gallons per month, Eaves said.

“They were kinda split three-to-two on what to do for those who use more water,” Eaves said. The issue was between $1 and $1.50, she said.

In past meetings, council members debated a $4 increase in base water rates and a $1-per-1000-gallon increase in the usage rate for most customers.

“The council is trying to be very deliberate because nobody wants to pay more,” Eaves said. “I mean, everyone on council pays for water, and we don’t want to have to pay more. Everything is going up right now in our current times with inflation and tariffs, and it seems like paychecks are just staying kind of flat.”