Lincoln authorizes agreement with Lincoln Potters Baseball Club

Lincoln City Council voted unanimously to approve an amended and restated license agreement with Lincoln Potters Baseball Club, L.L.C.during the council's Tuesday meeting. The city extended the agreement through August 2031 for the McBean Stadium at 61 McBean Park Drive to be the Lincoln Potters' home baseball field for summer collegiate wood bat baseball. The city also authorized a budget appropriation of about $137,000 from the General Fund's unrestricted reserves for stadium lighting and fencing replacement. According to the official Lincoln Potters website, the city of Lincoln fielded a team in the Placer Nevada League from 1923 to 1968. Games were mostly played on Sundays, generally before crowds of 500 to 1,200 attendees. The Potters were a "powerhouse" during the 1950s, winning titles in 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1957, while also winning championships in 1926 and 1941. The Potters were sponsored by Gladding, McBean, a terra cotta and clay manufacturing company in downtown Lincoln founded in 1875 and still operating today. Lincoln City Manager Sean Scully said there's "a great level of importance to the community" to make enhancements to the McBean Stadium for the safety of athletes and attendees. Scully described the quality of the lights and fencing as "ancient". The stadium lights fell in the last year, Scully said, due to high wind speed and harmed the field. "With the Potters, I'd rather the players worry about their opponents than getting splattered on the field by stadium lighting," Scully said. After spending summers at the stadium with her family, Lincoln Mayor Holly Andreatta said she had noticed the leaning lights and described them as "scary" and "dangerous." The new lights cost $399,000, according to Scully. "The city received a grant from the United Auburn Indian Community in the amount of $247,000," Scully said. The Lincoln Potters plan to contribute $50,000 toward the lighting replacement, according to Scully. That leaves the city with a remaining $102,000 expense. Lincoln Potters General Manager Matt Lundgren thanked City Council for addressing the McBean Park Stadium needs and for their support of the team. "Having the Potters here (in Lincoln) is not only a benefit economically in the community but it's such a community builder," Andreatta said. Lincoln Vice-Mayor Paul Joiner acknowledged and thanked the United Auburn Indian Community for providing a large sum of the funding for the new lights. This agreement goes into effect immediately, according to City Manager Scully. In other news Lincoln City Council recognized the Lincoln Hills Foundation for their contributions to the community. According to the Lincoln Hills Foundation website, Sun City Lincoln Hills residents established the nonprofit organization run solely by volunteers in 2002. The foundation's vision expanded in 2008 to include all Lincoln and Sheridan seniors. The Lincoln Hills Foundation has donated more than $390,000 to support groups and nonprofit organizations that address independent living needs of seniors. Mayor Andreatta commended the organization for its contributions "to important causes in the community." According to Andreatta's proclamation, the Lincoln Hills Foundation recently gave a $50,000 grant to the Salt Mine Food Closet to help pay for a service truck. In 2021, the Lincoln Hills Foundation also provided two grants to the Lincoln Police Department. One grant helped provide defibrillators for four police cars. The other grant aided funding the "Project Lifesaver" wristbands. The wristbands are worn by individuals with cognitive issues who are at risk of wandering and getting lost. "This gives law enforcement valuable time and resources to reconnect loved ones by tracking and locating these lost individuals," Andreatta said. For more information on Lincoln Hills Foundation, visit lincolnhillsfoundation.org.