Leeds council meeting becomes heated before voting to name sports complex after mayor's family

LEEDS, Alabama ---- Tonight's meeting of the Leeds City Council became heated during discussion about naming the city's new ballpark complex.

The council voted to name the complex off Alabama 119 after Mayor Eric Patterson and his family.

Councilman Johnny Kile left the meeting after angry exchanges with Councilwomen Susan Carswell and Charlotte Earnest.

Kile said no one on the council discussed the issue of naming the complex with him before the meeting. The resolution to name the complex, proposed by Carswell, was added to the agenda at the start of the meeting.

After Kile left the meeting and after some more discussion, the council voted to name the complex Patterson Park.

The council voted to name fields at the complex after Charles Banks, George Barber, Jones-Walker law firm and Lehigh Cement, and one field after Harry Walker and Eddie Martin.

Carswell said the Patterson family, Barber, the Jones-Walker firm and Lehigh Cement were important contributors to building the complex, which opened this year.

Some in the audience of about 40 people jeered when Carswell proposed naming the complex Patterson Park.

Patterson said he did not ask that the complex be named for him.

"I'm honored they named if after me," Patterson said. "But they also know how much work I put into it."

Patterson said the council authorized $1.5 million to build the complex and he sought support from the private sector to complete the project. He said Lehigh Cement delivered $70,000 to $80,000 in free concrete, Barber donated landscaping and Jones-Walker donated close to $10,000.

Patterson said many businesses in the community did not respond to letters he wrote asking for support for the complex. He said he thought the project was controversial because Leeds had other needs.

"It became controversial because people felt like it took money from other stuff," Patterson said. "But it didn't."

Patterson said the city had not had new baseball fields in 40 years.

Carswell and Councilman Ross Bartee said it was important for Leeds to have ballfields so families would not have to take their children to other cities.

"When my kids started playing sports, most of the families were going to Moody," Bartee said.

Carswell said she had heard much positive feedback from those who have used the park or watched games there.

"This park has definitely made a very positive impact on our city," Carswell said.

Kile noted that the bulk of the money to build the complex came from taxpayers.

"They ought to name it Citizens Park," he said.

Kile said he opposed naming the complex with a new council and mayor to be sworn in Nov. 5. Kile, Patterson, Carswell, Earnest and Bartee are all leaving office.

"Don't you think it's kinda funny they waited till the last council meeting?" he asked. "Don't you think all council members should have known it?"

Kile criticized some features of the ballpark. The electronic scoreboards are not yet working, even though the park opened this spring.

Earnest apologized to the audience after Kile left the meeting. On his way out, Kile said, "You don't have to apologize for me. I meant every damn bit of it."

Source: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/10/leeds_council_meeting_becomes.html

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