I wonder how the other sports leagues around town are going to deal with this, if it is going to cost the relatively small (in comparison to other organizations) Lincroft Little League an additional $25,000 a year to run their league what will it cost the larger leagues such as B.Y.A.A. or Middletown Babe Ruth?
As the person who forwarded me the letter so aptly stated, "One thing I have always observed in Middletown is that you don't mess with people's sports! This one is going to hurt for everyone, including the Township Committee. Scharfenberger may wake up one day to a thousand baseballs on his front lawn...it may get ugly!"
Dear Lincroft Little League Families:
The Board of Directors of Lincroft Little League hopes this letter finds you well. The Board is currently in the process of completing its offseason activities, with the goal of delivering a great 2013 season for your children. As part of this process, we felt it necessary to inform you of a new ordinance that was recently passed by the Middletown Township Committee, which will drastically increase the cost that Lincroft Little League pays for its field permits, and ultimately, will pass on additional registration costs that each family will have to bear for their child(ren) to participate in Lincroft Little League.
On December 17, 2012 the Middletown Township Committee unanimously passed ordinance 2012‐3074, entitled, “Ordinance Amending Recreation Fee Schedules Governing Field Facility Rental Permits”. A link to the full written ordinance will be included with this letter, but the material goal of the ordinance is for the town to begin charging every sports organization in Middletown Township a field permit amount equal to $20 per two hour block of field usage for ALL GAMES AND PRACTICES. The town plans to use the proceeds from this new permit program to create a township‐wide sports field improvement fund. On numerous occasions, the Board has asked representatives from the town how they plan to allocate funds from this program to actual field improvement projects, and they cannot answer us, as quite frankly, the town has not thought that far ahead. It appears the town wants to collect funds now and then figure out how to allocate those funds to actual projects later.
In passing this ordinance, the Middletown Township Committee has let down Lincroft Little League in a variety of ways:
1) While conceiving this ordinance, the town was open to working with the individual leagues to create an ordinance that would raise capital for the town to make improvements to fields, without becoming financially burdensome to the leagues. Representatives from our board were assured that the “bigger” leagues would be treated differently, as they tend to have more registrations, and would bear a much higher cost, than smaller leagues or independent teams. The town did not honor this, and as a result, the implementation of this ordinance will have the effect of becoming overly financially burdensome to the league.
2) Although the town recognizes that Lincroft Little League has done an exemplary job of self‐maintaining the fields and facilities at M.T.T. Park (the home of Lincroft Little League) at zero cost to the town, not all fields within Middletown have had the same level of upkeep. As such, Lincroft Little League will be expected to pay into this fund immediately, but cannot reasonably anticipate reaping any benefits from the town in the first few years as funds will be invested in other Middletown fields first.
3) The Board was told by the town that the motivation for this new ordinance was to align the town with other towns in Monmouth County that were charging similar permit fees for their fields. We have asked other leagues what they pay to their towns, and their answers were in direct contrast to what we were told by Middletown. Colts Neck, Eatontown, Manalapan, Tinton Falls, and Long Branch do not pay any permit fees. Freehold pays a permit fee to its town, but much less than what the Lincroft Board estimates its fees will be.
The Board projects that the league will incur a new charge of approximately $25,000 as a result of the implementation of this ordinance. The field permit fees are now the second largest expense in our budget, after the cost of uniforms and equipment. With approximately 800 children in the league, the fee amounts to about $30 per player. Because the ordinance was approved several weeks after the Board had opened registration, the 2013 registration fee does not cover this unexpectedly large expense. This leaves Lincroft Little League with a very large deficit for the 2013 season.
The Board is dealing with this problem in three ways:
1) We are lobbying township officials for some kind of action to reduce these fees. We have expressed our opposition to this ordinance to township officials in several forums and are attempting to explain to them how much of a burden these new permit fees would be for our league. We are working with officials in other large youth organizations in this effort. Board members attended the Township Committee meeting in December in which the ordinance was passed and spoke out about the financial burden. A small group of us met with township officials in January to reiterate our concerns and provide further details about the costs of the permit fees. We speak with the Recreation Department officials regularly about the fees. You can help in this matter by using the contact information below to call or email members of the Township Committee.
2) The board is looking for ways to cut costs in our budget.
3) If the permit fees are not significantly reduced by the township, we will be asking each family to pay $20 per player (maximum of $50 per family) to help alleviate the financial burden of this new expense. This payment will be collected by the league, but checks should be made out to the Township of Middletown, since all of this money will be going to the township.
Our goal for the season is to minimize the amount that we have to pay to the town, while maximizing the experience your children have come to expect. We would like to hear your thoughts on cost cutting measures that we could undertake. We could eliminate participation trophies, play fewer games overall, not make up rainouts, eliminate field and capital improvement projects, to name a few, but we do value your opinion on which cuts the Board should prioritize. Please send your thoughts to Don O’Rourke at president@lincroftlittleleague.org and Ron Antonelli at vp@lincroftlittleleague.org. We also urge you to send emails and letters to the Middletown Township Committee to let them know your opinions on this new ordinance, as well as to make the town understand that they need to cap the cost of the permits to alleviate the financial burden on the league. Their contact information is listed below:
Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger
Deputy Mayor Stephanie Murray
Committeeman Anthony Fiore
Committeeman Stephen Massell
Committeeman Kevin Settembrino
Link to contact the Township Committee (you can call or email through this link):
http://www.middletownnj.org/contact_us
Link to the ordinance:
http://cdn.gov‐ i.com/clients/28bd4cc0/files/000/023/714/original/9450bb4c7cdfbf323435096d03be136b.pdf?1354650711
Yours Truly,
The Lincroft Little League Board of Directors
24 comments:
All the sports leagues should tell Sharfey & Co. where to shove their fields. That would teach them something.
This gang of thugs is holding up our schools,our library,now our sports leagues because they (the TC)cannot manage money and these greedy imposters are doing everything they can to destroy this community !!! Disgraceful !
Quality of life today in this town is non-existent!
A change in government leadership is gravely needed so Middletown residents it's really past time to do something about it.....smell the coffee !
Remember all this sh-- when you push buttons next November !
NO government is better than what we have ....and it gets worse each day. What will they attack next ????
Our churches ??
Even when all the Obama supporters came out this year, a Democrat in Middletown can't win.
Democratics in Middletown:
Same circus, different clowns!
Which clown will run this year?
In recent years both Sean Byrnes and Patrick Short SERVED the people of Middletown well. The shame of it was they were not re-elected.
The only game these republican politicians know how to play is scummy,dirty politics ,complete with character assassination, no matter how low they have to go to win.
Speaking to the topic of this article, just reflect back three years, ole slippery mayor needed a campaign topic so he proposed a "sports complex" on West Front Street and Everett Road. What was this town going to pay for or take care of that with ? SONIC took care of the that effort but it's time for him to face the voters again this year ....and the other guy running was trying to get rid of our library two weeks after he took office.....and don't forget the rezoning for Avaya and the expense of thaton going battle ! Lincroft residents wake up !! These five republican clowns and their comrades do not represent the residents of Lincroft (or anyone else in Middletown) They're only interested in their party.
The only action that is going to help the residents of this town is to be educated about what is going on in this town before they vote . It's all about money and politics and the only INPUT from the people these republican clowns want is the people's MONEY.
They do not take care of our parks now , so do you think they are going to take care of the sports fields? Lot of luck...
Quality of life, these clowns could not care less unless they are meeting in the Lincroft Inn, to hell with anything else in Lincroft.
Bipartisan government is more "democratic" and Middletown today is a classic example of WHY !
With the arts center under the umbrella of the recreation department I bet that is where this money will go. Lincroft Little League maintains it's fields and does a good job of it. Once again another money grab by the town comm. is exposed. In this well written letter we learned that the town comm. did not do what they said they would. The comm. said other towns charge their sport programs but the letter names surrounding towns that do not. Yet another lie from the comm. Watch out gop, sports in this town are important to you in November.
Anon 8:03
Hey give these guys some credit, after all they did bring a methadone clinic to town.
Anon 9:00a.m.,
Makes one wonder about their priorities doesn't it ?
The only priority Gerard P. Scharfenberger has is Gerard P. Scharfenberger. Not one other thing ! Not the library,not the people and certainly not the kids. Just himself and politics.
What if??? all of the sports leagues united and sat down with the town and said " we are not giving you a dime" Now on saturday morning all of the teams played their games as usual. What is the town going to do ?? Lock all of the kids up for playing in the park. Go after the adults for playing with these kids.
Hey s*** for brains at town hall these various associations are saving the recreation dept a lot of money, all you should do is say thank you and what can I do for you. For the most part the associations maintain the fields. They buy the equipment and the uniforms and train the coaches and staff.
The town if anything gets in their way and NOW YOU HAVE YOU HAND OUT$$$, HEY MAYOR HAVE YOU NO SHAME?
Where's Legion on this one?
If Legion is who we think it is at times ,she has two sons who may play in the sports leagues and she also is a Christie political appointee and the mayor's cheerleader !
Silence covers thine a$$.
So, because I know very little about this issue, I had to do a little research before responding to the challenge put forth by Anon at 7:59. Unlike most of you, I prefer to know what I am talking about before posting.
As it turns out, the new fees are based upon solid research of the fee structures of the towns around Monmouth County, not the cherry picked ones that the little league mentions in their propaganda... I mean letter.
By the ordinance, all of the money raised by the increased fees will go towards field maintenance, repair and upgrades.
The fact that this league (and others) believes that they somehow "own" the fields that they have been permitting is nonsense. All fields belong to all of the citizens of the town and they have no claim on them, they should be available to anyone who wants to utilize them.
One of the reasons that their bill would be so large is that they routinely "permit" many more fields for much more time than they need to keep other people from using them, and that is because they feel like they "own" the fields, and have the right to prevent others from using them.
My understanding is that this league has a rather large bank account filled with fees they have been charging parents for years, maybe one of you guys who are so supportive of them can ask them for that information and post it here-- I'd like to know how much cash they have on hand.
The bottom line is that this program is designed to raise - through user fees - money to appropriately maintain and upgrade the fields for everyone to use. The prices are reasonable, but look less so because they are compared to the ridiculously low fees that have been in place for years.
I'm sure that facts won't make a difference in your posturing here, but those are the facts. This is a good deal for everyone in town, but maybe this league will lose it's bank account -- too damn bad!!
And to Anon at 6:49 and anyone else who complain about the quality of life in our town -- get the %$#K out, and don't let the doorknob hit you in the a$$ on the way! The rest of us love Middletown and want to see it prosper. Take your BS elsewhere!
And Library money was supposed to stay with the Library.
And Library money was supposed to stay with the Library.
Since when is this town entitled to an accounting of it's funds from the League...When ??? This %#@%* TC hasn't been transparent with the taxpayers in many,many years. Are you intelligence compromised or just plain ignorant , Legion?
The poor excuses for government in this town have attacked or raided the funds of our schools,our library,our sports leagues,evaded their duty to comply with the COAH statutes when they should have which has required radical decisions and proposals in the Lincroft section of town regarding the Avaya tract.The asinine proposal for a sports complex three years ago when they can't even take care of the parks we have and they don't ( disbanded the Parks & Recreation Dept last year).
This town should be grateful to the League for the care of the fields that their volunteers provide....perhaps the town should pay the League for that !!!
You must really be kidding when you make any statement about quality of life in this community if you are not witnessing the decline (you need "coke" lenses). Will NEVER again make the Money magazine list
under current conditions.NEVER AGAIN !!!
As for " prospering" on the backs of our kids,you are the greedy scum that needs to leave this town ,Legion, not those of us who realize how much Middletown has declined under this current crop of integrity (and financially) challenged Republicans! The whole lot of YOU !!!
OUR SCHOOLS, OUR LIBRARY, OUR SPORTS LEAGUES.....WHAT NEXT, OUR CHURCHES ??
MONEY HUNGRY PILFERERS !!!
HELL BENT on destroying the quality of life in Middletown !!!!
Hey Legion,
Isn't your #%&# BS more welcome over on More Mnmouth Musings or has Art kicked you out ?? This is Mike's blog....not yours !!!!!
I'm going to give 2 places that i am very familiar with because my grandchildren play games there. The first is nut swamp park a disgrace, the field is either a dust bowl or a mud hole depending on the weather. and don't tell me the town cuts the grass--there is no grass. The lighting is iffy at best, it was built and is maintained by the organization that uses it.
The next is the field at croydon hall the grass playing field is great, you know why?? its because the organization there spent a lot of $$$ for a grass surface, do you the town gave--- zero,zip nada. It was done by the parents.
The two examples are just the ones that I am familiar with I very sure there are a other stories from the other groups and leagues.
What really pisses me off is the fact that these groups get little or no help from the A--HOLES in office but come opening days parade or to throw the first ball out they are out front with the fake smile patting each other on their backs, phoney b___ards. Also ALL of you leagues and organizations stop being the victim. Call these bums out and let them know exactly how you feel and let them know so up front and personal.
These bums will show up at a memorial service for so young boy or girl and say "where did we go wrong with or youth" Those words mean nothing .DO SOMETHING ABOUT HELPING THE YOUTHS AND DOMIT KNOW.
So the Little League has managed their money well as did the Library. Apparently this offends the township comedy I mean committee so they have to go after their funds.
You guys are funny... Ignorant, but funny.
You complain about the quality of the fields - but then when fees are set at reasonable prices so as to allow all fields in town to be taken care of properly, you complain about the fees.
Let me repeat this for my intellectually challenged friends here: the fee schedule is based on extensive research of the fee schedules of other towns. That research is available if you ask to see it (which you won't, of course).
This is what it will cost to maintain all of the fields. The cost is the cost. If the leagues want to buy their own land and build their own fields, they are, of course, welcome to do that, but the fields are township property - belong to all of the citizens of the town - and not to the leagues, no matter what they think.
When has the TC "raided the schools?" That's a new lie. The Library? Yeah sure, you can believe what you want, but remember, you're ignoring the facts.
Nobody is "raiding" the leagues. They have gotten away with ridiculously low fees for many years and are sitting on top of tons of cash they have been overcharging parents for forever. They have to pay their fair share. Why is it that MM posters want to maintain breaks for the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class?
And as far as my posting here. First, on this subject, it was requested that I speak up. I had to research this to educate myself, but I wasn't going to post until y'all asked.
Plus I rather think Mike likes me posting here. It certainly attracts other posters. He controls what posts are allowed to be seen - not me.
If you don't like it -- don't read my posts. Makes zero difference to me.
Egotistical,arrogant,blow hard, A$$, Legion,
Don't flatter yourself....you're the one telling others to go somewhere else. Tell you where this poster would be like to see you go and it's plenty hot there, Sybil....
Lies,lies,fabrications and dishonesty slide off your slick tongue without conscience.
The Leagues are "the citizens" of this town and their children and our( the taxes of" the citizens" of Middletown) money bought the land the fields are on.We do own the fields!! and the parks,bought and paid for with the Open Space program or taxes before that program began!!
Take your haughty A$$ and realize the Republicans only own a SHARE of anything in this town just like every other citizen regardless of party affiliation, whatever their taxes paid for.
The Leagues are very beneficial to this community and they have always given more to the welfare of our kids than any lousy,greedy,self serving politician who only shows when that specimen thinks it's an opportunity for a "photo op" !
The arrogance of this bunch of bums in today's Republican party is astounding.
Question : How much of the land that the Lincroft Little League uses was a bequest from the Geraldine Thompson Estate to the township and if it was, what were the conditions of the
bequest ??
I never said that the Leagues weren't citizens, nor that they don't do a great job with the kids.
They should have the same rights and responsibilities as any other citizen. They shouldn't get to claim a public field as their own for next to nothing. If they want to permit a field, they should have to pay a fee that reflects the annual cost of maintaining the entire field system in town, period.
All of a sudden you guys are lining up to support the preservation of a privilege for Lincroft? My how times have changed here on MM.
You guys are so ready to attack the TC for whatever they do that you even attack against your own beliefs.
This new fee structure is designed so that kids in East Keansburg, Port Monmouth and Belford will have fields to play on that are as good as the ones in Lincroft. The fees are reasonable and are based upon the fee structures of nearby towns.
This league doesn't care about anything except their own fields, but why does that self centered interest resonate with you guys here on MM?
Don't try and turn this into a lincroft against the world thing. The idea of paying more money just to use a park or field for an activity is insane. we have already paid for there use with our taxes, why do we have to pay more??
Don't say for maintenance , define maintenance seeding and fertilizing by the town, I DON'T THINK SO, grass cutting MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, garbage pick up AGAIN ONCE A WEEK.repair of fences only if you get down on your knees and kiss the ring, repair of the buildings AGAIN NO. So ask your self where is all of the money that is being claimed for maintenance going?
For the most part all of the above in kepted up and maintained by the individual organization and yes some do a better job that others . And this town and this administration has the balls to want more and bigger fees.
Maybe it the fact that I a child of the 60's and 70's but I say no to all of them and their threats and heavy handed tactics and say screw you we ain't paying you one thin dime. Lock us up, by us i mean kids, parents ,grandparents and anyone who will stand with us. You can not reason or talk with these stone walls , you must embarrass them bring their nonsense out for all to see.
But in the reality of todays world All of you are going to take their crap and ask for more next time.
Legion,
With regards to your comment that, "This new fee structure is designed so that kids in East Keansburg, Port Monmouth and Belford will have fields to play on that are as good as the ones in Lincroft. The fees are reasonable and are based upon the fee structures of nearby towns." The reason that the fields in Lincroft are in good shape is because the league has effectively subsidized the town for some time now by using its financial resources and generous volunteer efforts to keep the fields in an above average manner. What the league hasn't had to pay in terms of unreasonable permit fees, it has put directly into the fields and facilities. And, lets get another thing straight, this treasure chest of a bank account that you seem to base your entire position on, just doesnt exist. If the families of East Keansburg, Port Monmouth, and Belford want improved fields, they should embrace the Lincroft Little League way, and do it yourself. This effort by the town is nothing more than a taxation of our children and a redistribution of wealth, pure and simple.
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