At Morton’s Jubilee Park — home of the annual Morton Loggers Jubilee logging show and festival — Morton White Pass Youth Association (MWPYA) members have been striving to make improvements for their student athletes who they feel have been forgotten, according to MWPYA President Eric Cox.
“Jubilee Park has been neglected for 20 years. We’re trying to bring some life back into it, and we’re getting zero help from the city,” Cox said.
Cox spoke during public comment at the Monday, April 28, Morton City Council meeting, pleading for help from both city staff and the Morton Police Department as a recent string of theft and vandalism has set back their efforts.
In 2024, MWPYA volunteers built new dugouts at Jubilee Park’s baseball fields along with redoing the infields — donating an estimated $50,000 worth of equipment, materials and labor hours to get the work done.
Cox added recently they brought in around $10,000 worth of additional improvements, including new bleachers and dugout benches — which have all been stolen now.
“Just recently, we showed up and our brand new aluminum bleachers had been taken apart and stolen. We can’t even keep a set of bleachers at the park,” Cox said. “… They brought tools. All the nuts and bolts from the bleachers are still laying there.”
Everything stolen was either donated or purchased using donations gathered through MWPYA fundraisers, but Cox wanted whoever is carrying out the theft to know who they are really stealing from.
“They’re not stealing from me. They’re not stealing from you. They’re not stealing from any of the adults in this town,” Cox said. “They’re stealing from the kids.”
Theft isn’t the only issue Cox is dealing with, as recently a woman experiencing homelessness has taken up residence at the park. Additionally, a portable toilet donated by Trackside Sanitation LLC for student athletes to use was vandalized, and drugs have also been discovered on park grounds.
“As of right now, the youth organization is not going to do anything else to improve the park until something is done,” Cox said.
While he contacted the Morton Police Department ever since he began having issues with the woman living in the park months ago, Cox stated no official police report has been made.
He also claimed that in instances where he has called for police assistance in dealing with the woman living at the park causing trouble while student athletes are around, it has taken up to two hours for an officer to arrive.
“I can’t go and ask for donations from the same local people I asked a year ago. Cash was donated from people that don’t have it. Meanwhile, we get everything stolen and nobody cares. That’s the impression I get,” said Cox.
He added he’s even been told by some responding officers that they already knew about the woman living at the park, but nothing is being done.
Cox acknowledged the City of Morton’s current financial predicament as it continues dealing with the fallout from uncovering nearly $1 million in embezzlement committed by former Morton Clerk-Treasurer Tamara “Tammy” Clevenger.
Because of this, he proposed city staff consider transferring ownership of Jubilee Park to either the Morton School District or MWPYA.
“If that park was the youth organization’s, I could get federal grants, state grants and build an entire sports complex over there, (and) put security cameras on it,” Cox said. “Or it could be part of the school, and it would also have security cameras on it and everything else. I know there’s no money for you guys to be doing things like that right now.”
Though Cox’s remarks came during public comment and not on any Morton City Council meeting agenda item, both Morton Mayor Rick Mead and City Councilor Jason Sawyer offered him help with the issues.
“You need a (police) report so you can file insurance, so let’s get you that ASAP,” Sawyer said. “... I understand your frustration. Everything you're here saying doesn’t need to happen, and it doesn’t need to be this hard. I’ve dealt with the police department and I’ve been on the other side of this table and I’ve been frustrated in your position, too. I will personally give you my number and we will work together in some particular way to make what we can right.”
Mead explained despite Morton’s financial issues, city staff are working on plans to install better security measures at Jubilee Park, including adding more lighting and gates.
Additionally, Mead told Cox he has been talking with his vendors for his personal business, the Mead Family Market in nearby Glenoma, in order to help the MWPYA recover some of its losses.
“I got some vendors that are gonna donate some pallets of dog food and feed that we’re going to sell, and all proceeds are gonna go to Morton youth baseball to replace what was stolen,” Mead said.
He also said he would write a personal check for whatever losses still remained following the feed and dog food sales.
Cox was thankful for the support, but still wanted both the Morton Police Department and city staff to do more about the situation.
“That’s totally awesome, but I don’t think you should have to do that. I think the city should do their part,” Cox said. “I know you love the kids and you’re one of my biggest supporters. I’m not here personally attacking you by any means. But the fact that the police department has done nothing, and when I walk into city hall and they know, it just seems ridiculous.”
The Morton White Pass Youth Association organizes sports and cheer teams for the Morton and White Pass school districts, along with holding various fundraising events for the youth sports teams.
To learn more, message the MWPYA on its Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/ymt4v8ev.
