I knew it wouldn't be long until Jack Roeder surfaced after retiring from his job as General Manager of the Cedar Rapids Kernels. I knew, too, that Jack would get into some form of community service with regard to baseball.

And what an opportunity he has picked.

Prospect Meadows is its name, Highway 13 and County Home Road is the proposed site that would include 17 baseball and softball fields and the supporting facilities for youth play and regional tournaments.

This is a non-profit organizaiton that apparently will be built along the lines of the Tuma Soccer Complex, which incidentally is not far away.

Jack will make his pitch to the County Supervisors for $20,000 to fund a feasibility and financing study of the project that has a price tag of around $9 million, a little more than half of what the Roeder-proposed new minor league ballpark cost.

The Solid Waste Agency was cool to the idea of a sports facility on what was designed to be buffer ground for the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agengy, so the redone plan calls for the county to donate 120 acres east of Highway 13 and south of County Home Road.

I have seen some proposed drawings and this plan looks to be a great boon to the area for baseball to be played, for tournaments to be held, and for revenue to be obtained for non-profit use.

Perfect Game would be helpful in this development, with its ability to attract week-long tournaments. And there's a Field of Dreams feature to one of the diamonds that would give boys and girls with disabilities an opportunity to at least experience what baseball is about.

From my point of view, it is again a win-win situation with a win-win guy handling the proposal in Jack Roeder. Keeping him involved in the game and in the community certainly is an added asset. So Jack, when you come to bat next week, I hope you hit a home run.