The Polk County Board of Commissioners are considering upgrades to Searcy Field in Mill Spring, with the possibility of creating a football/soccer field, a walking trail, playground and the possibility of a clubhouse with restrooms and storage.

Commissioners met Monday, Feb. 2 and heard from Polk County Recreation Director Jerry Stensland, who said he wanted to get a conversation started about ways to take advantage of Searcy Field.

The field, currently underused as baseball fields, sits on a seven-acre tract of land adjacent to the Mill Spring Ag Center. Stensland said it formerly served as the Mill Spring High School football field and was donated to the county in 1994 by Richard and Vivian Searcy. The property deed states the property must be available to and used by the children and citizens of Polk County for recreational purposes.

Several years ago the county planned to use Searcy Field as baseball/softball/soccer fields and a walking trail, but soon after the county purchased property for the middle school and added the recreation complex that includes fields, tennis courts, a walking trail and play areas.

Stensland said as a result, Searcy Field doesn’t have much activity. He said the property does border the ag center, which has advantages of how the county can use the property in a partnership for recreation as well as promoting activities at the ag center.

Stensland said one recreational need in the county is for youth football. Youth football currently uses Gibson Park for its practices, with the field there not being long enough to serve as a full size football field.

“It has been a challenge the entire time (youth football has) been using it to have enough room,” Stensland said, adding that it is hard for athletes to practice kick offs and punts.

Stensland also said currently the county’s soccer needs are being met but are at capacity as the county uses every field for soccer available.

Searcy Field currently has two backstops in the middle of the field. Stensland said one change that would increase its use is to simply move the backstops and put them on the outside to create a larger space in between, which could create a full sized football field, including end zones. The field could also serve as a full size soccer field, he said.

Stensland said he has spoken with youth football officials who have indicated they would have to look at Searcy field and would need storage for their equipment.

One issue with Gibson Park is parking. Stensland said at Searcy field there’s likely 80 spaces and at Gibson, “you’re taking your life in your hands,” as well as the safety of the children.

Other possibilities at Searcy Field are a playground and a walking trail. Stensland said it would be good to have families have one child playing football while another is playing on the playground with good visibility.

Stensland said another possibility is a clubhouse with restrooms and storage.

Commissioner Michael Gage asked if youth football could partner with the county to apply for a grant.

Stensland said that partnership can work very well as one grant possibility is through the NFL foundation. There is one grant available for up to $200,000 through the NFL foundation’s grass roots program that typically goes to low income urban areas. Stensland said Polk County would have to make the case that it is a low-income rural community. Stensland also said in order to apply for the grant the county would have to partner with the school system. The grant is a 1-to-1 match, so for every dollar the grant funded, Polk would have to match it.

The NFL foundation grant is due March 30.

Gage said the safety of the parking lot at Gibson Park is a huge deal to him.

Gage also asked if the field at Searcy has irrigation problems.

Stensland said he doesn’t know but there is a swale in the middle of the field. He said if the county wanted to do the project correctly the county would need to sod the field, otherwise it’s going to deteriorate. He said the grant will fund an artificial surface and it gives more money for artificial than for grass.

Commissioners agreed for Stensland to move forward with cost estimates of the projects and to research available grants.