DAPHNE, Ala.— Last month, the Daphne City Council voted 4-3 to decline the appropriation of funds for improvements to Lott Park and Trione Sports Complex. The improvements were not included in the budget for this fiscal year.

The improvements to Lott Park were to include improvements to the tennis and bocce courts. The improvements to Trione Sports Complex included shade pavilions for the dog park. The improvements to Lott Park would have cost the city $4,752 and the improvements at Trione would have cost the city $3,028.

Councilman Ron Scott asked the council to reconsider the ordinance, which was changed to only include the improvements at Trione Sports Complex, because the need for the bocce courts was not as great.

“I certainly don’t have any opposition to bocce ball courts, but in talking to some of the bocce ball players, we felt like there was not an urgency and I certainly hope this is something we will look at in the upcoming budget year,” Scott said.

Other council members agreed that there was a need for shade pavilions in the dog park.

“I can agree with the dog park shelter, absolutely. That is a $3,000 appropriation for an area with very little shade. We are in the hottest part of the summer…” Councilman Derek Boulware said.

Councilman John Lake said he wished the recreation department would present more creative projects like the dog park.  

“The main reason why I have a problem and why I voted for this was in the last eight years, I think, there has only been two creative things come out of our recreation department: the dog park and the bocce courts,” Councilman John Lake said. “They are the two items that get shrugged to the side. We don’t have a pool in Daphne. We don’t have any of the other facilities for anybody else. The only thing that our recreation department cares about is baseball, football, soccer and softball. What about the other things that are recreationally involved?”

Councilman August Palumbo said the measure was too late.

“This measure should have passed three weeks ago,” he said.