Field use fees could be on the rise in Barrington

Town manager looking to lighten the work load for DPW

Posted 8/8/18

Should youth sports leagues pay the town more money for athletic field maintenance?

That is the question Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha is considering. 

Mr. Cunha met with members of …

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Field use fees could be on the rise in Barrington

Town manager looking to lighten the work load for DPW

Posted

Should youth sports leagues pay the town more money for athletic field maintenance?

That is the question Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha is considering. 

Mr. Cunha met with members of the Barrington Park and Recreation Committee on Thursday night and pitched the idea of raising rates. Mr. Cunha said he has been trying to find further savings in the municipal budget and has been examining the town's fees and fines schedule — he is taking a closer look at everything from mooring fees to room rental rates in public buildings.

"There are some things that we can change," he said.

The field use fees appear to be at the top of the list. 

Like the vast majority of towns in Rhode Island, Barrington cuts the grass and fertilizes all of its athletic fields. But unlike many other communities, said Mr. Cunha, Barrington's department of public works also rakes out infield dirt on baseball diamonds and puts down boundary lines for lacrosse, soccer, football and baseball.

"We do things for the (youth sports) leagues that most cities and towns don't do," he said.

The town currently collects a field use fee of $10 per player for each sports' primary season — that totaled $18,000 in revenue for the town this year. 

Mr. Cunha said the leagues' contribution is a far cry from the amount of money needed to maintain the fields. He estimated that the town spends $126,000 annually on its fields, including $47,000 for labor and another $20,000 for field paint.

Mr. Cunha said he could cut about $50,000 from the field maintenance budget if the youth sports leagues stepped up and handled more of the chores. 

He proposed a system where the department of public works would prep each field at the start of the season, and then hand off to the sports leagues to maintain those fields (raking, grooming and lining) throughout the remainder of the season. The DPW would still be responsible for cutting the grass throughout the year.

"We are trying to reduce the amount of work (DPW) does on the fields," he said. 

"I'm concerned about reactions from the leagues, but I've got to nip at (the budget) where I can."

Barrington Park and Recreation Committee member Geoff Turner said he knows of many towns in Rhode Island that charge youth leagues significantly more to use their fields. He referenced Pawtucket, Woonsocket and East Providence. 

"I think you're undercharging," Mr. Turner said to Mr. Cunha.

Committee member Christine Larisa said she was concerned about the timing of this fee change — all of the middle school athletic fields were taken off-line as part of the Barrington Middle School construction project, and the leagues have been shifted onto different fields.

Committee member Marcus Paiva said the leagues should be paying for field maintenance.

"I think if the men's softball is drinking and eating pizza, then they can put $30 or $40 for the field," Mr. Paiva said. 

Members of the committee told the town manager that they believe the leagues might be willing to pay more for the field maintenance rather than hiring a private company to line the fields. Committee members also said the town's DPW would also provide more consistent attention to the fields.

Mr. Paiva later made a motion to support the concept of transferring field grooming and lining costs from the town to the leagues. Mr. Turner seconded the motion and the committee approved it unanimously. 

Mr. Cunha said he planned on contacting officials from all the youth sports leagues in town to set up a meeting. He said he wanted to know how much the leagues are doing with the fields right now. 

"We can sit down with the leagues and find something that works for everyone," he said.

Field costs

How much does it cost the town to maintain its athletic fields? According to Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha, the town spends approximately $126,000 annually on the fields.

• $47,000: Labor costs

• $20,000: Field paint

• $32,000: Fertilizer, loam and clay

• $9,000: Irrigation maintenance

• $16,000: Outside contractor to seed and aerate

Conflict in the community

Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha opened his comments with the Park and Recreation Committee with an explanation as to why he was exploring a potential increase to the field use fee. Mr. Cunha said he is concerned about a conflict in the community, where some residents are growing angry with ever-increasing tax bills. He said some older residents may be questioning why the town is spending more than $100,000 on maintaining athletic fields. Mr. Cunha said the municipal government must consider residents of all ages when building a budget, and added that he always looking for potential savings. That approach, he said, led him to examine the town's fees and fines schedule. 

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