Cordova Little League (CLL) baseball volunteers, parents, and players are pushing back on new city fees for the baseball fields and Snack Shack.
The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation has for years worked alongside a strong coalition of volunteers to maintain the Cordova Municipal Field, the Field of Dreams, and the Snack Shack. But because of the costs associated with owning the facilities, the Parks Department recently announced it would charge the nonprofit league more than $5,500 for the two-month season.
| Cordova Little League fee schedule | |
| Entity: | Total rate for May & June season: |
| Cordova Municipal Field | $2,243 |
| Field of Dreams | $2,243 |
| Snack Shack | $1,121.50 |
“Under the new fee structure, facility rental costs alone would approach, and in some cases exceed, the amount we charge a child to participate in the entire program,” Little League President David Reggiani wrote to city officials. He said the average player registration fee is $65 for the season.
“This comparison underscores the magnitude of the change and its potential impact on affordability for local families, which could in turn affect participation levels in a program that has historically served a substantial majority of Cordova’s elementary-aged children,” Reggiani added.
Parents, volunteers and community leaders created the CLL nonprofit in 2004, and in 2007 laid down their own fields with the help of volunteers and donations from local businesses.
In recent years, the league has served between 120-160 players annually across nine to 14 teams, according to Reggiani. And it’s all made possible because of the 45-60 volunteer coaches, board members, and parents each season.
Parks and Recreation Director Samantha Hagerthy-Schneider emphasized the importance of the league in city correspondence, adding that the cost of the new fee schedule doesn’t necessarily have to fall on families.
“Alternatives may include sponsorships, fundraising, grants, allocation of concession revenue, tournament hosting, partnerships, or internal budget adjustments,” Hagerthy-Schneider wrote. “Many youth organizations operate successfully within municipal rental structures by utilizing a combination of these approaches.”
She added that the department “appreciates the contribution” from volunteers – but noted the fees are needed since the city is ultimately responsible for the facilities.
“As public assets, the city is responsible for liability coverage, maintenance, utilities, compliance, and long-term capital improvements,” Hagerthy-Schneider wrote. “For that reason, we operate under a municipal facility model with tiered pricing to ensure costs align with usage and impact.”
The Parks and Recreation fee schedule was approved by the City Council as part of a larger package during previous budget discussions, however a few council members admitted they hadn’t realized they were green lighting CLL charges when they signed off on the budget.
A handful of people showed up to the March 4 regular City Council meeting to make public comments in support of CLL and the volunteer labor it takes to maintain the fields. In the end, council members discussed the possibility of creating a new agreement that could waive certain fees for the league.
“I love watching kids play and I can hear them from my house all summer long and it’s a wonderful sound, so I really want to support however we can,” Council Member Debra Adams said.
If the body moves ahead with a new agreement, it’ll be at a future City Council meeting.
“We’re to the point where the city needs to stop nickel and dime-ing,” Council Member Wendy Ranney added. “We can’t fix our budget on the backs of 8-year-olds.”
This story was updated on March 18.
