I am a member of the Readfield Trails Committee (RTC) and the Readfield Conservation Commission( RCC). The views expressed in this letter are my own and are not intended to represent the viewpoints of any other individual or group.

I have been a teacher in Readfield for over 40 years and coached both male and female athletes. There is a need for an improved softball field in Readfield. My concerns regarding the plan for a proposed athletic complex at the Readfield Fairgrounds are threefold: the process used, the location and additional pieces to the new field, and the costs reflected on the June 14 town meeting ballot.

After a town meeting vote in 2021 that allocated funds for improvements at our beach and and fairgrounds, the Recreation Committee and Select Board moved ahead from planning a softball field to adding a basketball court, concession stand, and drilled well. As the plan grew in scope, the RTC and RCC became involved by asking for a landscape architect to be hired while noting their concerns. A pollinator garden was added to help preserve habitat. The location of the proposed basketball court and concession stand in the design plan are situated on wetlands.

Neither the RTC nor the RCC has taken a formal vote to support the proposed changes to the Fairgrounds. Neither the Recreation Committee nor the Select Board were willing to attend any meeting with the RSU 38 director of maintenance and grounds to discuss options regarding upgrading the Readfield Elementary School athletic field, which appears large enough to accommodate the plan. The offer was made twice at public meetings and once in an email. It should be noted that the elementary school building and land were given to the school district in the 1970s by the town.

If the Select Board had investigated alternative sites and kept taxpayers in the forefront, the warrant amount of $500,000 could have been reduced significantly, saving taxpayer dollars in these tough economic times.

The Recreation Committee uses RSU 38 facilities, including the fields, to run their successful programs. The playing fields at Maranacook were built using federal dollars and grants that stipulate community access. The fields at the school have top-notch facilities, including bathrooms, groomed fields, water access, a concession stand, and ample parking. For the five weeks or so that the Recreation Committee runs softball and baseball activities, some creative scheduling might have to take place, as it already surely does.

There is a public hearing on the proposed Readfield town warrant on June 2 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, see www.readfieldmaine.org.

Greg Durgin is a resident of Readfield.