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Schools

Sports Groups Object to Field Rental Fee Increase

The Central Bucks School Board tabled action on a proposal to hike the field rental fee by 500 percent to cover maintenance costs.

Leaders of some Doylestown-area youth sports organizations say their programs will be threatened if the Central Bucks School Board follows through on a plan to raise field use rental fees by 500 percent.

At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, Loretta Jenkins of the Doylestown Athletic Association said her group would have to pass on the increased fees to its members, which would likely reduce the number of participants.

She said the DAA’s bill for field use would increase from $10,000 a year to $50,000 a year.

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“You’re trying to cover your budget shortfall with an informal tax on local sports groups,” she said.

A proposal to hike the rental fee from $10 a day to $15 a day was included in the district's Facilities Use Fee Schedule for 2011-2011, which was approved earlier this year.

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But a revised schedule that called for an increase to $50 per day was included on Tuesday night’s agenda. 

After Jenkins and others complained the new rate took them by surprise, the board tabled action.

“This was discussed at the committee level but not all board members were there,” said board member Geri McMullin. “I think it’s a good idea to discuss this more with the groups.”

Before the vote was tabled, district business manager Dave Matyas it costs about $125,000 to maintain the fields used by the sports groups. At a $15 per day rate, the district would recoup between $35,000 and $40,000, he said. 

McMullin said the district’s ability to maintain the fields has dropped off in recent years because of financial constraints. Until the recession hit, the district had an aggressive maintenance plan in place for the fields, she said. 

“If we are going to maintain the fields at the level they need to be, we have to do something,” she said. “I understand we want to get the fields back in shape, but there has to be a happy medium somewhere.” 

Ed Beedle, who is in charge of securing fields for the Central Bucks Athletic Association, said he “strongly objected” to the proposed increase. He said fields are the CBAA’s biggest annual expense. 

“It would change everything for us,” he said. “The timing and notice are horrible” because the CBAA is already done with registration for fall sports. “We’ve had not time to react.”

Jim Dugan of Lenape Valley Football & Cheerleading, said his organization would “lose a number of kids” if the proposal goes through.

“I ask you to hold off until we can talk further” to find a reasonable alternative, he said.

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