Fort Oglethorpe officials say they want to balance public access to and preservation of the polo field at Barnhardt Circle.

Fort Oglethorpe City Council during its regularly scheduled meeting on July 23, agreed to develop a policy out-lining public use of the ballfields on the historic polo field as it investigates relocating the ballfields to a larger lot. Several local residents have charged the facilities are not available to the public as originally intended.

“When the city was incorporated in 1949, it dedicated itself to the preservation of its historic post,” said Nancy Stephenson Powell, an heir of the property’s original owner. “I am interested in knowing if your policy is going to include restoring the polo field back to a historic look.”

“We can have a ballfield anywhere, but we cannot move a historic place,” she said.

“I hope that you realize this is the most valuable piece of historic property in Fort Oglethorpe,” Jim Powell said.

“Everyone agrees that it should be returned to the public use (for) which it was intended,” Powell said. “The precedent so far is that it has not been used for public use.”

The original terms of the purchase agreement stipulated the polo field would be strictly for public use, he said, adding the five ballfields on the field are usually locked, and admission is charged at events on the field.

Fort Oglethorpe purchased the polo field from William G. and C.W. Stephenson in December 1950.

City Attorney Stephen Farrow said using the ballfields for public games constitutes public use.

“The White House is a public building, but that doesn’t mean you and I can walk on White House grounds anytime we want to,” Farrow said.

Councilman Alan Marshall said the fields are occasionally used by this region’s Dizzy Dean baseball program, and the city does not receive monies from admission charges.

When Powell asked whether the gates to the field locked at times other than Dizzy Dean games, Mayor Judson Burkhart replied, “I don’t think that anybody on this council can answer that right now.”

Burkhart said the council’s policy will contain provisions increasing the public access to the ballfields. He said the council will submit on Aug. 7 its proposal to the Fort Oglethorpe Recreation Commission and will hear their comments at the city council’s Aug. 27 work session.

“It could be a type of deal where the public could come and check out a key to the field, but somebody’s got to be held accountable,” Burkhart said. “When we spend taxpayers’ money (for maintenance) over there, we’re not going to have it vandalized.”

Council members unanimously denied accusations their decision to develop a public use policy proves the city has violated the purchase agreement.

“We’re in agreement that it is being used for public use, (and) it could be used a little bit more,” Burkhart said.

In other business Monday, July 23:

* Council members voted to notify the state Department of Transportation that it supports plans to widen Cloud Springs Road from Lakeview Drive to U.S. 27, but pledged only to finance relocation of city-owned utilities as part of the project.

“The state DOT has asked us to agree to pay all the utility relocations for the project, and that could exceed $1 million dollars to do that,” Fort Oglethorpe City Manager Paul Page said.

Page proposed sending a letter to the DOT, stating the city’s support of the project and willingness to relocate the utilities owned by the city. He said the letter should also say “the city is not in a financial position to make any other commitments to the project although it is important to the city.”

* The council approved spending a $10,000 Department of Transportation grant for road repairs around Barnhardt Circle.

* The council unanimously approved designating $354,832 in special-purpose local-option sales tax, or SPLOST, revenue to reimburse the city for its expenses on work at City Hall.

Fort Oglethorpe City Council’s next scheduled meeting will be Monday, Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall