Brooks

Town Council last week rescinded its 1998

approval of the first phase of a master plan for

a new sports park, pleasing neighbors of the

proposed fields but angering youth sports

boosters.

"Screaming

people 300 feet from my door would make my life

unbearable," said Todd Speer, one of two

adjoining land owners who spoke against the park.

"How

can we nurture these children, and just what are

we saying to them if these ball fields are taken

away," said sports booster Lee Vernon.

Council

voted 3-2 to reverse its action of Oct. 19, 1998

pertaining to 13 acres behind the county fire

station on the Ga. Highway 85 Connector. The Town

turned the land over to its Recreation Department

for sports fields, and approved the Recreation

Department's plans for phase one of a sports

complex that included two girls softball fields

at the far west end of the property.

Work

on the project began last month, and land owners

at that time objected to the softball fields,

saying they did not want to have the lights,

sound system and crowd noise at their front door.

Land

owner James Johnson said no impact study had been

done to ascertain the impact the ball fields

would have on neighbors' lives and property.

"It may be legal," he said, "but

it's not right."

Speaking

for the ball fields, Chuck Spellman said that

currently when it is Brooks' turn to be the home

field, its teams have to travel to Whitewater

Middle School for their games.

"If

we don't support the ball fields, the area will

shrink, and if that happens no one will want to

come (live) here," said Lee Vernon.

Councilwoman

Caroline Smith made a motion, seconded by

Councilman Mike Hanson, to uphold the council's

1998 approval of the ball fields.

After

discussion and poring over the plans for more

than a half hour, Mayor Bobby Butler called for

the vote. Smith and Hanson voted in favor;

council members C. W. Howle, Jackie Carson and

Dan Langford Jr. voted against.

Howle

then moved that the Parks and Recreation

Department proceed with the grading of the

western corner of the park, with Langford

seconding it. Voting in favor were Langford,

Carson and Howle; voting against the motion were

Hanson and Smith, with the motion carrying.

After

further discussion it was decided to build only

one softball field with no ball field or other

sports facility being placed past a north-south

line at the western corner of the city cemetery,

which is next to the park land.

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