HomeMy WebLinkAbout16 T NAT'L LITTLE LQ 11-21-94NO. 16
11-21-94
.~ATE:
November 14, 1994
lnter-Com
TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: FUNDING FOR TUS?IN NATIONAL LITTLE LEAGUE
Pleasure of the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
The rough estimate for the proposed project is between $7,000 and
$8,000 of which The National Little League board has voted to fund
one half of the cost. Funding request, if approved, should be
appropriated from the Park Development Fund.
BACKGROUND
The City Council received the attached letter from Tustin National
Little League requesting financial assistance to help with the
replacement of the backstop and fencing att heir home field, Currie
Middle School. The backstop and fencing are badly worn and in need
of replacement. Several baseballs have hit cars parked on the
street.
Tustin National has not been able to raise enough money to pay for
the materials and installation. The Tustin Unified School District
has also not been able to lend any financial assistance. The Little
League Board estimates the project will cost between $7,000 and
$8,000, which is more than what the organization can afford. The
Board has voted to spend approximately fifty percent of the above
estimate to perform the work. In 1992, The City Council previously
gave a one time donation of $5,000 for fencing to Tustin East
Little League which was appropriated from the Park Development
Fund.
Should the City Council wish to help fund the project, there should
be sufficient money in the Park Development Fund. About $10,000 is
generated each year for the Fund from the Nonresident Fees paid
each year by nonresidents participating in recreation programs and
classes. This money is used for park equipment replacement.
Susan M. Jones,
Recreation Superintendent
Attachment: Letter from Tustin National Little League
NATIONAL
P. 0. Box 1578
Tustin, CA 92680
City of Tustin
300 Centennial Way
Tustin, CA 92680
Attention: Mayor Thomas Saltarelli
Subject: Senior League Baseball Field (Backstop/Fence Replacement)
Dear Tom:
The purpose of this letter is to request assistance from Tustin city officials in rebuilding a baseball
diamond backstop and connected fence and dugouts, which is currently used for our Senior-Minor
Division (ages 13 through 15) baseball program. The field is located at Currie Middle School, and in
its current state it is extremely unsafe to players, fans, bystanders, and passing traffic.
We do not have information as to when the backstop and adjoining fences and dugouts were first
constructed. However, it is clear that this field was not intended for baseball, but rather for kickball
or children's softball -- although protection from even a batted softba. II is minimal at best.
Since very few facilities exist for playing Senior League baseball within our city, these fields at
Currie School' are necessary in order to provide our teenaged kids a place to play and practice. We
have requested (and been denied) assistance from the school district, yet we need to have use of
these fields to keep our program strong. More importantly, however, we are extremely concerned
with continuing our program using a field that presents such obvious dangers.
The following are some of the specific problems associated with playing on this baseball field,
which is located against the alley that separates Currie and Thorman schools, and backs up to
Service Road:
- The backstop is 10 feet by 10 feet, which is not nearly sufficient to stop foul balls which have
been pitched from a distanceof 54 feet, at anywhere between 50 and 75 miles per hour.
The fence extends only about 40 feet beyond home plate, on both the first and third base sides
of the diamond. The base paths are 80 feet long. The only area that the fans can watch the
game is beyond the dugougs, which puts them in an unprotected area beyond the fencing.
Behind the field (and on the third base side) is Service Road, which is travelled often by vehicles
using city and school property. Balls are constantly soaring over these 10 feet high fences and
into the street. Several parked cars have been hit already ..... fortunately to date, no moving
vehicles have been struck.
On the first base side of the field, across the narrow alley separating the schools, other Little
League games are being played, and foul balls from the Senior games have intruded upon (and at
times injured) those players and spectators.
Page 2
The fences of the backstop, fence extension and the dugougs are extremely old, rusted and cut,
ripped or torn in several spots. There is an obvious danger to players who hav~ run into the
fence in order to make a play -- or to spectators simply making contact with this material. We
have had to administer first aid as a result of cuts and scratches received on these fences.
In our fiscal year 1994 alone, Tustin National Little League has spent in excess of $3,300 in
repairing the backstops and fences at the Thorman Elementary School site, for the purpose of
making our Little League fields safer. However, the Senior field at Currie is in such bad condition it
would have to be completely replaced to be considered safe and playable (and useful for its current
purpose). We have received a rough estimate from Allied Fence Company (of Fuilerton), of between
$7,000 and $8,000 to remove and replaCe the backstop, fencing and adjoining dugouts. This is an
expense that our league cannot afford. In fact, the thought of levying our members with increased
fees is frightening, considering the state of the economy and our constant attempt to increase our
player membership by lowering (or maintaining our current) registration fees.
The Tustin National Little League board of directors has voted to spend approximately half of the
above estimate to perform this needed work, but cannot afford the entire expense of replacing the
Senior League backstop. In addition, the needed work must be performed prior to February 1, 1995
in order to be ready/in time for season practices and subsuquent games.
Several concerned volunteers in our city, as well as members of our city council have expressed
concern about our "kids at risk" -- those between the ages of 13 and 15. We are doing all we can
at Tustin National to build our Senior League program so that these Tustin kids have one more
choice in their life -- where positive structure and influence just might make the difference.
Please respond to my attention, at the following address/telephone:
Tustin National Little League
c/o Jeffrey M. Flagel
14622 Danborough Road
Tustin, CA 92680
(714) 669-8984 (evenings)
(310) 797-7017 (day/work)
We appreciate your looking into this matter, and subsequently assisting our league in making our
Senior League field a safe place for the kids to play ball.
Tustin National Little League
Board of Directors
Jeffrey M. Flagel
President