The Mistlin Sports Complex is a specialized facility.
By that, it’s one of 20 parks in town and a profit-generating endeavor for the City of Ripon.
At last week’s City Council meeting, Kye Stevens, who is the director of parks and recreation, provided an update on some of the costs over the past fiscal year.
Expenses came up to $15,000 during that time, according to Mayor Leo Zuber, but included use of the park’s water features, which Stevens indicated were shut down in May to help with the conservation efforts given the severe drought conditions.
The fiscal year was up to June 2015.
On the positive side, Mistlin is built out, for the most part – improvements to build out the signature water tower  appears to be still in the plans  – with 12 soccer fields and six lighted ballpark fields to accommodate softball and baseball.
The local softball, baseball, t-ball and flag football fields use the facility along with outsiders on the weekends.
“Soccer and flag football (tournaments) are there 37 out of 52 weekends while baseball and softball have it 45 out of the 52 weekends,” Stevens said.
Mistlin is home to the Almond Blossom Festival, Fourth of July and Color the Skies Hot Air Balloon Festival.
The newest amenities to the park have been the concession / restroom building.
“Mistlin gets a lot of use but it also needed a lot of maintenance,” Stevens said.
He pointed out that of the unforeseen expenses came in the form of a grub worm.  “A (grub worm) eats the roots which kills the grass,” said Stevens.
Public Works provided a helping hand to help take care of this problem. They also replaced the sprinklers.
“This has been a high year in (paying for) maintenance,” Stevens said.  “But the fields are nice and in good shape.
“People want to come and play here.”
City Administrator Kevin Werner added that Mistlin has been a boost to local businesses, in turn, generating revenue via sales tax.
Zuber said that the park hasn’t quite paid for itself as the city had hoped – at least, not yet.
Stevens’ report included the addition of one full-time employee and most of the expenses going to the man power necessary for maintenance – included here are the routine re-sod, aerating, fertilizing and replacing sod on the goal mounts, Stevens said.
In addition, the new concession building opened later in the summer or just prior to his recent report.
Staff believes that next year’s report should paint a better overall picture of the Mistlin finances.
“I’m looking forward to 2015-16 (report),” Zuber said.