When Petal residents voted in 2021 to approve an additional 3-percent tax increase at restaurants in the Friendly City, it came with the expectation that funds generated from that tax would be used to add several new amenities to the city in the form of recreational options.
That vision continues to be realized, with the most recent action being approval from the Petal Board of Aldermen to accept quotes for construction of a new splash pad – as well as new soccer fields – at the Robert E. Russell Sports Complex off Hillcrest Loop. Those contracts include $460,774 to Shows, Dearman & Waits for construction of the splash pad, along with $650,361 for the soccer fields.
“We’re really excited to be able to do this,” Mayor Tony Ducker said. “This is what the people voted for, and we wanted to be able to give it to them.
“Hopefully, this will show that we want to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and let them see that we’re doing what we told them we’d do (with these funds).”
Ultimately, aldermen had the choice between voting for two options for the splash pad and for the soccer fields, and ended up choosing option “B” for both, as that option came with additional amenities. Option A, or base bid, for the splash pad was $373,524, while Option A for the soccer fields was $411,665.
Option B was chosen on both projects so as to avoid having to come back at a later date and add those additional amenities, such as lighting and shading.
“A lot of times, when you plan to come back and do those things, it just doesn’t get done,” Ducker said. “This way (with Option A), it costs a little more upfront, but it will go ahead and be done (at the beginning).”
The splash pad – which is expected to cost between $200,000 and $250,000 – will be located near the playground at the complex, while the soccer fields will be built inside the current walking track. Officials have yet to determine the exact number of fields that will be featured at the site.
“There will be multiple soccer fields, but we’ve got kind of confined space,” Ducker said last summer. “We’ll have to see how many we can fit in there that will make sense.”
While there is no exact timeline for the projects, the splash pad will hopefully be open by summer, while the soccer fields will take a little longer to complete.
“We want to get (the soccer fields) right,” Ducker said. “It’ll take longer, because you’re going to be growing grass (and other measures).
“It’s basically a large project as much as anything – shaping that area to make it more level, to drain the water off properly and to get grass going. It’s pretty exciting; it’s at least six months ahead of what I had hoped to do, so we’re ahead of the curve and I’m really glad to start to see some movement in it.”
The 3 percent tax increase was approved in early August 2021, when 74 percent of voters voted in favor of the measure during a special election. Unofficial records from Petal City Hall showed that 457 residents voted in the election; of that, 344 voted for the measure and 113 voted against it.
The tax required a 60 percent voter approval to pass. The funds raised from the tax are going toward the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, which allows the city to maintain that department at its current level.
That, in turn, frees up money in the city’s fund for other endeavors and projects, such as pay raises for the police and fire departments, as well as improvements in the Parks and Recreation Department. The tax began to be collected in October 2021.
In addition, Larry Byrd, who represents District 104 in the Mississippi House of Representatives, was able to help procure $500,000 that will go toward a new entrance to the sports complex off East Central Avenue, near Sonic.
Complex A at the Robert E. Russell Sportsplex and Brad Pickett Memorial Ballfields offers 25 acres of recreational activities, including T-ball fields, a concession stand, restrooms, a tennis court, a walking track and batting cages. Complex B is an extension of Complex A and includes four youth baseball fields, a concession stand, restrooms, a playground, batting cages, soccer fields, a skate park, a recreation office, gazebos with tables and benches, and sidewalks.
Complex C, which is the former Optimist Park, is now the home of the Petal Dixie Softball Association. It has three softball fields, a concession stand and restrooms.
