Village Approves $10,000 Emergency Donation to Replace Deteriorating Fencing at Firemen’s Park

Village of Beecher Board of Trustees Meeting | March 23, 2026

Article Summary: Racing against the start of the spring baseball season, the Beecher Village Board agreed to a $10,000 contribution to Beecher Recreation to replace dangerous, curling chain-link fences on Field One at Firemen’s Park. Because the parks budget was depleted, the board will utilize a supplemental appropriation from reserves to fund the emergency safety upgrade.

Firemen’s Park Fencing Key Points:

• Beecher Recreation requested financial assistance to replace the aging backstop and dugout fencing on Field One.

• The organization received a single viable quote of $19,500 from A+ Fence out of Hammond, Indiana.

• The Village Board voted to contribute $10,000 toward the project, which must be completed before opening day on April 24.

• To afford the unbudgeted expense, the Village will pass a supplemental appropriation drawing from municipal reserves.

The Beecher Village Board on Monday, March 23, 2026, stepped in to help local youth sports, approving a $10,000 donation to Beecher Recreation to address critical safety hazards at Firemen’s Park just weeks before opening day.

During the Public Buildings and Properties Committee report, Trustee Brian Diachenko explained that Beecher Recreation leadership had recently approached the village for help funding a complete fencing overhaul on Field One.

“It’s a cosmetic thing, but more so it’s actually a safety thing,” Diachenko told the board. “The chain link fence at the backstop is real gnarled, curled up on the bottom, it just looks really bad. I think it’s time to do that.”

The youth organization struggled to get contractors to bid on the job due to the busy spring season, ultimately receiving only one quote for $19,500 from A+ Fence in Hammond, Indiana. The quote covers the installation of new black vinyl chain-link fencing around the backstop, the dugouts, and the deck area. To save money, Beecher Recreation volunteers will strip and repaint the existing structural poles themselves.

Because Beecher Recreation hopes to complete the project before opening day on April 24, the board had to make an immediate financial decision. However, the request sparked a brief debate over how to fund the $10,000 contribution.

Village Administrator Charity Mitchell noted that the dedicated parks budget did not have $10,000 left for the fiscal year, which ends in April, due to recent expenditures on fertilizer and a $4,000 lighting project approved at the previous meeting.

Initially, officials floated the idea of utilizing funds from the sale of the old police station. However, the board ultimately agreed to pass a supplemental appropriation at their next meeting, allowing the $10,000 to be drawn safely from general village reserves without touching the police station funds.

With the financial maneuvering settled, the board voted 6-0 to approve the $10,000 contribution, allowing A+ Fence to begin work immediately.