VALLEY GRANDE — Youth sports took center stage during Monday’s Valley Grande City Council meeting, with announcements made regarding the sponsorship of youth leagues in the city as well as an update on bleachers, which will be installed around two of the baseball fields at the Valley Grande Sports Complex.

A resolution was passed marking the founding of the Valley Grande Sports League, which will be sponsored by the city of Valley Grande and will be lead by volunteers Annie Taylor and Larry Stover.

The league will feature T-ball, coach-pitch and machine-pitch levels of co-ed competitions, divided into age groups.

After the announcement of the VGSL, conversation to an update on the bleachers set to be purchased and erected near two of the three ball fields at the Sports Complex.

Councilman Ronald Sawyer presented a list of quotes from four companies on the cost of four sets of five-row, 21-foot-long sections of bleachers.

The prices ranged from a little over $14,000 to $22,000 collars for the set of four risers, and by a unanimous vote, the council voted for Sawyer to look further into bleachers built by Terra Bound Solutions and Highland Products.

The Highland bleachers had been quoted at $14,402.40 and the Terra Bound bleachers, came with a price tag of $19,942, both estimates included shipping.

Mayor Wayne Labbe said the bleachers would have to be assembled upon arrival, and he is interested in taking measures to ensure they are well taken care of once they are on site.

“They are going to take some abuse out there,” Labbe said. “All of these companies recommend a concrete slab, which you know, basically as far as maintenance will be much better. We’ll have to put the concrete down which I don’t think that would take too long. Sometimes these things get installed on the ground and they can settle, and that can cause big problems later.”

Labbe said the cost of the bleachers, as well as the concrete pads, could come from the city’s recreational budget.

After the council narrowed the list of possible suppliers to two, Sawyer said he would do further research into the construction and durability of the bleachers before presenting the winning bid to city council for their approval during an upcoming meeting.

“I’d hate to be penny wise and dollar foolish with this,” Labbe said. “I’d hate for us to go with the $14,000 one and have it be real thin aluminum if the other one is a thinker gauge. Time is of essence right now, but let’s take a look at the top two bids and go with the better one.”