Two majority owners of the Butler BlueSox on Wednesday criticized the city agency that runs Kelly Automotive Park, saying inaction and a lack of long-term planning by board members has left them concerned that the stadium will fall into disrepair.

The concerns and critiques aired Wednesday evening by BlueSox co-owners Larry Sassone and William C. Robinson Jr. monopolized most of the stadium authority's meeting, and kicked off with Robinson presenting board members with a list of maintenance concerns.

Those concerns included such items as replacing some of the stadium's outdoor lighting, hiring someone to clean the building's windows, and repairing the skirting behind the park's home plate — something Robinson said needed to be done if the park wants to avoid being cited by officials that oversee the Prospect League, in which the BlueSox play baseball.

Robinson, in detailing his concerns to the board, returned repeatedly to the topic of stewardship, saying he was frustrated with what he called the group's tendency to “kick the can down the road,” on nearly every issue that the ballclub's owners bring before them. Robinson said the club's maintenance concerns were brought to the board's attention more than a month ago, but nothing's been done.

He said the club also offered in late February to take over management of the park from the authority and allow board members to continue to oversee operations as administrators, but the offer was tabled at a subsequent board meeting.

“This facility has gone downhill over the past three years, and it's due to a lack of maintenance,” said Robinson. “It's the general feeling you get when you walk in here. You don't go 'this is nice' anymore. The feeling's gone.”

Sassone, for his part, presented board members Wednesday with a list of long-range plans the club wants the park to pursue, including the installation of indoor locker rooms, replacing the stadium's turf field, upgrading the stadium's scoreboard, adding a street videoboard and upgrading the park's sound system.

In addition to those projects, Sassone said he wants the city to rethink how it staffs the stadium authority board, the members of which are appointed to five-year terms by the mayor.

Sassone argued that the club should have more input in the process because it is the park's major tenant. The stadium also hosts high school baseball games, but the BlueSox play half of their 60 game season at the field each year, and have revenue sharing agreements with the stadium authority, which gets a portion of advertising revenue that's brought in by the club.

“We should be involved a little bit,” he said. “This is the only city park that draws people to Butler and brings money into the city, and it gets put on the back-burner.”

Some board members, for their part, acknowledged sharing the club's concerns about the stadium's state.

“This facility is in terrible condition,” said board member Mick LeFevre, adding that he intends to work hard to address the club's maintenance concerns.

“Things are going to get done, and you're going to be surprised,” he said.

Board member John Mossman also acknowledged that the board needs to do a better job of administering the park, and acting to award contracts or find volunteers to perform upkeep work at the stadium.

“None of us has the time or any business (doing upkeep work),” said Mossman. “We need to run this like a business or it's going to fall apart.