In November the Bremerton School District officially notified American Legion Post 68 that they would be terminating the nearly 45-year lease between the two organizations. As a citizen, parent and experienced member of the district Finance Committee, I fully support this rather difficult decision.

In October 1966, the district leased to the American Legion a portion of its “sandlot” field including the parking area adjacent to Sheridan for $1 a year indefinitely with a 90-day cancellation notice clause should the district ever need the property for school purposes. The district was allowed to use the facility at no charge. The Legion was allowed to collect fees from other users and was responsible for maintenance.

In 1996 Brem-erton High School and Olympic College were both in need of a baseball field. That year, thanks in large parts to donations by the community, the city and the district, improvements and upgrades to the tune of $500,000 were made to the field making it usable for college level baseball. In 2000, the district installed seating obtained from the demolished Kingdome.

Over the past 10 years, the field itself has been in a visible state of decline. Organizations that once played there now choose not to for a whole host of reasons. Over the past five years, the district has had to pay more money out of pocket than it has received in reimbursements just to keep the lights on.

This past year it was revealed that the American Legion post faced its own steep uphill financial difficulties. With more and more cuts coming from Olympia, the district is in a position where it can no longer put the partnership before the financial stability of its own property, property that will soon play a pivotal role in a more recently formed community partnership with the city and the Boys and Girls Club. The community partnership will transform most of the existing property surrounding the current field into a Wellness and Teen Center. The improved continuation of a safe baseball field for the kids will play a very important role in that overall transformation.

The Legion has until Feb. 19 to prove it has the financial ability to make the much needed improvements and upgrades to the field — improvements and upgrades that are critical to restore the property to the 1996 level of service and performance.

What really needs to be kept in mind here is what is best for the community and the baseball-playing youth of Bremerton. The district had to make a very difficult decision in a very difficult economic time. I personally support that decision.