The parents last year that didn't have any girls on the crush made fun of it.Now they are on the crush team and it's great.Minonk parents I think you better worry about your girls instead of high school baseball.How can you feel good about being on the rec board and taking the girls away from your program?Don't get it but that is nothing new with minonk.

All the Minonk people are worried about themselves.They don't support their own town so why would you care where they play.The coaches in Minonk takes all the softball players (90 percent minonk) and goes to other towns.Thats good for the rec program.I also heard the parents of the crush team are on the rec board.WAY TO GO MINONK KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.Is that one of the credentials to get on the rec board.Take away kids from their friends so the PARENTS can win.Play Ball.

I, for one, plan to attend the next board meeting, and you should, also. Maybe,if enough people are there, the board will be less inclined to make stupid decisions knowing they are being watched. Until the next election, this board needs closer scrutiny. After we get rid of the bad apples on the board, we can go after the superintendent. Maybe El Paso will hire him and his wife since they prefer to live in that town. What did Wenona offer him? They approve hiring his wife if he approves everything they want? Hmmm?

Mr. Wieczorek, FHS athletic director, is the one responsible for this whole issue coming up in the first place. The fact that the school board backed him up is pathetic. He must have given them some kind of snow job. He is arrogant, egotistical and now apparently, unaccountable for creating a situation that further divides our towns.

I think what the board did was WRONG. All Wenona wants is everything and nothing more. This is causing alot of hard feelings between the towns and the board should have thought about that first. Maybe Minonk should request post season play at our remodeled fields!

Minonk’s field is small but it is a regulatory size field. You don’t see the cubs going over to play at US Cellular Field, because Wrigley is a smaller field. For the avg high school baseball player that fence does not mean a thing, they still can hit it out. For Wenona field it also is a softball field with deeper fences, a baseball field has grass infield. About the summer program, guess what if it’s not offered it means kids do not want to participate. But again it’s not about where they play baseball 95% of the school district could careless. It about the School board lying and costing the Taxpayers money that could have been used for something better, maybe a summer district team.

If the Students are really concerned about the Minonk diamonds, then what are they and the athletic director doing about it? Most schools have to raise the money to work on the field or find a way to fit it into their budgets. Then they have the athletes and coaches prepare the fields. There is no help from the city. You can't always get what you want, sometimes you have to put in a little effort for it. If you want better dugouts, donate them. I agree that you don't understand how dangerous it is to drive on these roads, but you are young and have no concept of mortality. People actually care about you more than sports. The School Board lost trust and many towns have threatened lawsuits after making improvements and the School Boards changing their minds, and they have been reimbursed. There are also a lot of legalities about the Board planning this and discussing this outside of the board meetings, but you don't understand that either.

These comments are not being made by coach Brown, I am a student athlete at Fieldcrest High School. I have made these comments because of my own personal opinion. This discussion is as much baseball as the people who are making it into such a big deal.

I'm with Soooooooooooooo Can't we disolve this consolidation mess?

Is this Coach Brown again under a diffrent name... Come on give it a rest. This has more to do then the game of Baseball and where it is played.

Being an avid Fieldcrest Baseball Fan for the last 12 Years, I can only say Bravo for the School Boards decision. A high school baseball game should be played on a high school regulation size field. Nothing is more humbling than not being able to field a playable ball dropping over a shortened field fence to lose a winnable game. The safety of All our children should be important to us regardless which direction they drive to or from, and speeding is a discipline problem and I'm sure NOT just happening going to practice. Yes, Minonk might have spent some money on upgrading their field and the rec district should not have to hold the school board hostage to do it, but should be driven to do it for the benefit of a baseball community. The sad truth is our district doesn't even field a high school summer team any longer, and our boys drive farther than 10-11 miles to play agame they love.SO WALK THE WALK .

I was interrested in reading the Board of Edcation minutes to learn first hand what the other hand is doing. I find it odd that the minutes aren't posted on thier web site. Hmmm... I hope there is nothing to hide. The next Fieldcrest School Board meeting is Febuary 15, 2008 at 7 pm at Wenona-unless that is a lie. I would like answers from the donkey's mouth.

I guarantee the field in Wenona is better then the field in Minonk, regardless. How many games would've been played on Minonk's field even with the new "infield" that would have been played on Wenona's. How many of the people who are complaining and whining actually go to REGULAR SEASON games? When we start to see 50 or more people at our games, then maybe I'll agree that the games should be in Minonk. But until then, I say you let the players decide where they want to play and I'll bet the "democratic vote" would be easily over half in Wenona.

Ask the kids from Olympia school district how much safety does matter driving down a country road, especially the one that had to stay a week in the hospital.

Before you make comments you should research what you are saying. Go look at what has been done to the Minonk Diamonds. They have been redone. New Scoreboards almost a year old. Fences in perfect condition. Yes the outfield fence is not out as far as should be but that is it. Get your facts straight before posting..... Or at least read what has been done.

after reading FHS Baseball comment, i just have to repeat what i said in a previous posting! the REAL ISSUE isn't the fact they moved the games back to Wenona for whatever reason, the REAL ISSUE is that the school board after telling another taxing body to spent money on the Minonk fields, rescinds their vote and moves the games! simple as that! i don't care where the games are played. but the board which is a public body that represents the voters, cannot go around changing their minds, and then changing their votes just to satisfy a 58 year old former college baseball player/administrator who's ego got hurt and is still trying to play baseball though his students!

Have you seen the Minonk's Field lately. 1) They just put up two new score boards at the schools request 2) The dug to the tile and put in new fill dirt which drained flawlessly after 3.5 inches of rain and 3) they did just fix the right field fence and t-ball fence that the kid from WENONA (see Woodford County Court records) intentionally drove through. Shouldn't you be in school?

It’s not about where baseball is being played; it’s all about the lack of integrity that the school board has. Few years ago they come up with a rule that the sport or activity is play in the town that the school is in. Then they voted to bring baseball back to Minonk after the city has spent 25K. They then move it back to Wenona, what tops it off, Fieldcrest my not even get a regional all the IHSA did was accept their application, they never awarded them anything.

when is the first deconsolidation meeting?

If any of you have seen the Wenona baseball diamond in the last 4 years, then you would understand why most of the baseball players want to play in Wenona. I, myself, am a baseball player, and I believe that Wenona has the best baseball diamond available in the Fieldcrest School district. Wenona has high school length fences, quality infield dirt, good enough dug-outs, a WORKING scoreboard, and a lot of work put in. Now, let's talk about Minonk. The infield doesn't drain, junior high length fences, a non working scoreboard, a fence down the right field line wrecked, and terrible dug-outs. People may think they're nice, but when it's colder then the devil, you want to be in an enclosed dug-out, not a fenced in dug-out. I think if you knew what kind of VOLUNTEERED WORK was put into the Wenona diamond, you would agree with the move back to Wenona. Thanks, a member of last year and this years FHS baseball team.

Are you really Coach Brown making these comments as student??

It is because the Parents of Fieldcrest do not matter to this school board, nor do the taxpayers. Lets just see another school referendum get passed. This school board has blown that chance. I knew this consolidation was going to prove harmful to Minonk. Too bad we cannot succeed from the consolidation. To Student: Just wait until you have to pay taxes, car payments, insurance for your inexperienced teen driver, and school fees for your children. You will have a completely different viewpoint. My property taxes have almost quadrupled in ten years and most of the increase has gone to Fieldcrest.

Fieldcrest School Board change their mind more than Hillary Clinton does on issues....

My understanding of Fieldcrest athletics is that people who complain don't play, and not having a prestigious name in the community, I want my kids to have every opportunity. I am furious over the decision to move baseball to Wenona. I have been the entire time. Who in their right mind would expect teenage kids to use their own or their parents vehicles to transport themselves and younger kids to a school sponsored activity! On a daily basis! On their parents insurance! I grumbled but held my tongue the first year because yes, it was difficult to practice on a field under water. However, polling the kids involved in baseball revealed that many were speeding if not on 251, then on country roads adjacent to it. Now the thing is finally fixed, but they are still going to drive themselves to Wenona! I think someone's priorities are severely out of whack if they would rather host a Regional game than concern themselves with the safety of our children.

I went to Fieldcrest do you know how many friends i lost on that county road...and how many were hurt or killed after i graduated. great statement from the mayor. something needs to be done about this.

You can tell your comments are uneducated... Stick with furthering your education. Let the tax-payers worry about this issue.

Give up, why does it matter. Really they're moving 10 miles woop de doo. I'm sure most baseball players don't care. What does safety have to do with it they're driving 10 miles on a country road. It's not like it's super busy. Oh boo hoo I'm not supporting fieldcrest sports, why because you can't acustom to change. That's pretty sad considering you live here. Just keep it to yourself if anything. If you have a reasonable complaint tell someone higher up not a website. You really won't get anywhere complaining on here. Thanks, From your fellow freshman.

The mayor of minonk and their city council made a great prepared statement Monday night. Now I think they need to pursue this issue further.

In addition to not revoting these wishy-washy board members (the ones that voted for this move), I won't support Fieldcrest sports. The high school is in MINONK and games should be played in MINONK.

I really liked the way Mayor Koos summed everything up. Very nicely done by the way Mayor! Now that the city has had their say, how about the school. I would like to hear from some school board members. Especially the ones who voted to move the games back to Wenona. Stand up behind your vote and tell us why, we are wanting to know.

Very well said indeed....

First and foremost, the school board and administrators should be looking at the safety of all students and players. Who came up with the idea of moving in the first place, Coaches? Administration? From what I have read, I don't know of anyone approaching the City of Minonk with their concerns about the diamond's condition until they already decided to move. If this was the administration's bright idea, maybe they should step forward. By the way, do any of these well paid administrators even live in the school district? Has anyone ever seen any of them in our grocery stores, gas stations, or restaurants? Do any pay rent or real estate taxes in our school district? The only administrator in the whole district that I know of is Mr. DeMay. Maybe we need to take a page out of our governor’s book, and move the superintendent's office and Spanish class to El Paso so he and his wife don't have to travel to Minonk.

I think this is ridiculous that they move the games in the first place. The High School is in Minonk and the students should not have to travel if there is a field in the same town to play on. Minonk spent $25,000 to fix the ball diamond and they won't get any reimursement for that. I agree that the School Board has made a huge error in judgement. They are just fueling the fire in this consolidation. Let's put our kids first and not the towns. The kids have to drive to practice and that is not a good idea if it is not necessary. I hope they are offering bussing. The laws are becoming quite strict on how many kids can be in a car with a first year driver. This is too much liability. I am sure that is something they are willing to look the other way about. This is all about a Regional Tournament. Great Priorities. A one week event. A one week event that will only happen every few years.

I think we should 'pro rate' or allocate Fieldcrest School activities by tax dollars that go to the school district from that town. Oh wait...would there be any activites in Wenona??? Dana and Rutland would qualify for more activities than Wenona. Maybe if we hit the businesses pocket books they would change their tiff. If the school athletic director and some of the school board members think the games and practices should be in Wenona, not where the kids are located for that sport, they can buck it up $$$$. Pay a bus driver to take the HS kids to and from the HS to the Wenona diamond. Next thing you know we'll be building a football field in Wenona. So many promises and so little return with this consolidation. Very - Very SAD!

You must be from Wenona and live in a city that is all TIFF. So you wouldn't understand!!!

it is apparent that several options were available to the board instead of moving all the games to wenona. they could of voted to not host the regional games or play only the regional games in wenona! but they choose to go back on their word to the people of minonk and in doing so caused the taxpayers of minonk $25,000. how can any public board or voters ever trust anything the fieldcrest school board/administrators ever say?? i personally knew and voted for kirkpatrick and mcnamara, and i am now ashamed in doing so.

the baseball diamonds have been in need of repair for a long time. it is something that the city should have taken care of a long time ago so that the kids in minonk rec leagues would have good fields to play on.instead of just focusing on what school did maybe someone should ask the city why it took so long to do this. i guess the city can blame the school for there problems.it is another issue of lets blame sombody else.

IHSA just accepted Fieldcrest's application for the regional. This doesn't mean they will get the bid. Usually they have the sites picked a couple years in advance for thing like this.

The school board should be ashamed of this vote. How can they change their vote just 6 months later. Did the board look at other options, or not? But the real question is did anyone tell the athletic director that the games were gonning to be moved to Minonk before he put the application in, or did he just put Wenona down since the games where in Wenona last year. Okay the regionals have to be played in Wenona this year but does that also mean that all other games and practices have to be held in Wenona or can they be held in Minonk? Seems that it is a slap to the tax payers in Minonk if the ball diamonds dont get used at all. I think it is time that the board members who changed their vote need to let the tax payers know why they changed their vote. Was this on the agenda or did they just squeeze it in there without letting everyone know about it?

Tell you what with a school board that doesn't care about the safety of our children. And a school board that flip flops and changes it's mind every 6 months, one that lies to the tax payers. I know of at least one that will do everything in his/ her power to stop any addition referendums in the future!!!!!!!

You really can tell we have a school board that doesn't know the value of a dollar. They must feel money truly grows on trees. For years now they run our school system broke and for years they have asked our communities tax payers to bail them out. Now this really shows they don't have any concern what things cost. City of Minonk asked them repeatedly if they spend this money and fix the fields if they would bring baseball back, with the board telling them yes. The city spends $25K on a baseball field to find out 6 months later they will not use that field. This is a real slap to the tax payers face, you know the ones that keep bailing the school out, just remember one thing people don't forget easily especially from matters of money.

How can a school board make a vote to put children/ young adults on the road everyday to drive to Wenona for practice? Especially week after a local school district had an accident with a school vehicle and a pick-up truck and one of the children is still in the hospital?? This just shows you they really don’t care about the children..

I would have to agree with you 100% since the school consolidation the Athletic director has been trying to get everything moved up north. He tried to get Fieldcrest out of the midstate before the change, but the conferences up north would not accept Fieldcrest bids. If they (Wenona and Toluca) they would like to eliminate Minonk from the picture, but one thing they like our tax base for the money. What is really surprising is a school board knownly; that they are loosing Hundreds of Thousands of dollars in taxes from Wenona's tif and they give them what ever they want. Better move basketball next year Wenona's gym hold more than Minonk’s. Maybe the school board can give them thousands to fix it up with new bleachers also.

Baseball is a game of inches,this one has turn out to be a game of 11 miles,between Minonk an Wenona. The athletic director is the pitcher who tells the board what is going on with the rules,they vote on what he said,the board done what they thought was right for the kids and Fieldcrest (I think ). The director is the one who threw Minonk the big curve ball, he should have told the city,even if you fix the field drains, we might not play here. You " build it we will come" did not apply here.

what disturbs me most is not the fact they moved the games to Wenona, but that this school board seems to be developing a pattern of changing their policy from day to day? this should concern all residents of the Fieldcrest School district. as elected officials of a public body, you lose all credibility with the public, students and parents of all the communities when you constantly change your positions just because the wind blows a different direction on thurs? this sets another bad precedent for a school board that seems to be lost without a compass!

Thanks to board members Hillenburg and Barth. It is very hard to understand some of our school leaders and certain board members. From day to day, the truth seems to change. If I recall the last vote, Kirkpatrick stated he felt the games should be in Minonk, so students who needed to meet with teachers and/or stay after for extra work could do so. Stating the most important thing is the students education. Is the students education no longer important b/c of a regional baseball game? And if these regional baseball games are so important, why did our athletic director not submit a request for a girls regional?

I have 2 questions: 1.) Was the application just accepted or was Wenona actually rewarded to host the games? 2.) Why would you put in to host a regional game when you knew they were playing back in Minonk this year? More miss trust caused by the School Board and its leaders. Not good!!

If they receive a regional game have it in Wenona, don't have to lie to the people that voted for you.

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