John Hafely, a private citizen who coaches varsity baseball, asked the Marysville City Council to allow him to pursue a privately funded replacement of the backstop at Feld Field, saying the current structure makes the ballpark “an absolutely horrible place to watch a game.”

Hafely told the council the existing backstop sits about 60 feet from home plate — a distance he said is typical of major-league layouts — and is more than 50 years old. He described rotting support posts and limited sight lines caused by chain-link fencing and a low wooden wall and said his preferred plan would move the backstop closer to home plate (to roughly 40 feet) and use netting common in modern ballparks.

"It's an absolutely horrible place to watch a game," Hafely said, adding that he plans for the netting to be privately funded and to last about eight years; he said the net is “probably the cheapest part of the whole project.” He asked whether city staff could remove the existing fence and help clear the site if he can secure donors and finalize plans.

Councilmembers praised the initiative and advised Hafely to present detailed plans and cost estimates to the parks and recreation committee before any construction or city involvement. One councilmember said, "I would imagine that we would probably request the plans before we approve anything so we can determine whether it's the best fit for the city" (first comment on that subject during the public comment exchange).

Council discussion covered logistics including existing dugout locations that limit how far the backstop can be moved, potential sprinkler-head conflicts if the backstop is relocated, and options to use existing footings to reduce cost. Hafely said he had already built removable platforms to improve dugout safety and planned to approach local businesses for sponsorships once he has firm design and cost numbers.

The council did not take a formal vote on funding. Members said they support the project conceptually and expect parks and recreation staff to review submitted plans to ensure maintenance and safety requirements are met before any city action.

Next steps: Hafely will work with the parks and recreation committee and city staff on formal plans and logistics; the council asked to see plans before granting any formal approval or city work authorizations.