Monterey Forms Athletic Authority To Provide Resident Voice

The city of Monterey has formed an Athletic and Events Authority to help manage the growing use of athletic venues in town.

Alderman Bill Wiggins spearheaded the project, which includes five members. Wiggins said the group will have the power to mitigate disputes and act as a sounding board for suggestions on improving facilities.

“We needed to take some of that pressure off the city employees and let that be community-based,” Wiggins said. “For events, we have this concept about community standards and we thought a board of five people would reflect what we would call community standards.”

Wiggins said the Black Bottom sports fields are being converted into a sportsplex with a soccer field. He said the authority will maximize the space by planning events there and overseeing maintenance.

“We have lots of kids that play soccer,” Wiggins said. “Some play at the high school level and they live here, but they go compete at Upperman and Cookeville. We’d like to retain some of that talent on the mountain. We think we could have a formidable team at the high school.”

He said leadership at Monterey High School is very excited about the space and the authority that will see to its quality. He said Alderman Alex Garcia will likely chair the committee. He said several members of the authority have extensive event-planning experience and will be able to ensure frequent and responsible use of the new field and existing parks.

“I did not get a turn-down,” Wiggins. “These are the first five people I saw, these are the first people who said yes with enthusiasm.”

Wiggins said construction is set to begin soon on the new complex. He said a community-driven entity able to recruit events and hold decision-making authority will propel Monterey athletics to new heights.

“They’ll work closely with the Cultural Administration Department who is at the forefront of this tremendous movement we’ve got in Monterey right now with events and sporting events,” Wiggins said.