Published: June 23, 2009 05:14 pm      

Softball parents ask council for help

PLAINFIELD —





Softball coaches and parents addressed the town council here to discuss some pressing financial issues and town leaders seemed receptive to coming up with a resolution.

Plainfield Girls’ Softball Association coach Perry Starkey said the PGSA is dealing with some new charges for use of town facilities that they are not used to paying.

The league’s new contract calls for an added $62 per field fee during tournaments. The group was also asked to stop charging gate fees because the tournaments are played in taxpayer funded public parks.

“I am hoping you will reconsider the charges, at least for this year,” Starkey said. “We now have a per diamond fee and have lost the ability to charge a gate fee.”

Council president Robin Brandgard asked if the charges were different than what they agreed to pay in the contract.

“It’s my understanding these fees are in the contract,” he said.

Park Director Clay Chafin said he met with PGSA officials last year and they signed the cooperative agreement that went into affect this year.

“The fees they are talking about are those tournaments they hold outside their normal post season play,” Chafin said. “We have to have a staff member there to take care of the facilities. And we can’t have a fee per car to get into a public park.”

Chafin said the board’s signatory signed the contract and was aware of the new fees. The town has taken over much of the maintenance responsibilities.

Chafin said he has been working with Richard Rose of the PGSA to work out a plan to help them this year.

“We have talked about waiving the per field rental fee this year,” he said. “In the new agreement, the town has taken over utilities and maintenance. We are doing everything right down to purchasing the chalk. The new agreement is good for everyone.”

Council member Renea Whicker said the new contract changes many responsibilities between the town and the association and that this is just a transition period.

“There are different expectations in maintenance from who is going to add dirt to the fields to who maintains the bathrooms,” she said.

Council member Gill Kirkoff said the town is more than willing to work with the PGSA.

“I think if we work together, we can get this all worked out,” he said. “We will get over this bump in the road.”

Chafin said they have already discussed the town absorbing the per field fee this year.

“Hopefully, they will have a volunteer who can share the maintenance like changing out the trash cans since we will not be able to have a person there,” he said.

Melissa Baker, a parent and volunteer, asked the board to reconsider the use of gate fees.

“These families are accustomed to paying gate fees,” she said. “They can be used to help you guys. We used them to help pay for equipment and umpire fees.”

She said a tournament can bring in about $3,000 in gate fees, and umpire fees for the same day can be $3,700.

Brandgard thanked all of the representatives from the PGSA for attending the meeting and said, “We will keep up the communication on this.”

Chafin said he would continue to work with the PGSA to help them get through this transition period.



brenda.holmes@flyergroup.com