City may take over Jackson Boys Baseball League

Jackson city officials are exploring the possibility of bringing the recreational boys' baseball league under city direction.

Parks and Recreation director Shane Anderson said when representatives from the Jackson Boys Baseball League approached the park board to ask whether the city would be able to take over its administrative duties, the board was amenable to the idea.

Anderson presented it to the Jackson Board of Aldermen during its most recent study session last week.

"What I was doing was just bringing the recommendation from the park board," Anderson explained, adding it's still early in the process. "Officially, nothing's been given the go-ahead."

If aldermen approve the park board's recommendation, it will be the first recreational sports league to be absorbed by the parks department.

The league has been run for decades by volunteers who usually are parents of the players. Anderson said the duties likely would be consolidated into two staff roles handled by existing parks department staff.

"It's going to be a few more staff hours. We'll have to have a coordinator designated, which might be me, you know? Who knows?" he said. "But it'll be additional hours for a coordinator, [as well as an] on-field prep person."

The eventual league coordinator would handle the organization of well-matched teams, field complaints and coordinate umpires. Anderson said on-field preparation duties would include chalk-lining the field, installing bases, etc.

"Parents have pledged to assist the coordinators during the transition," he said.

The league has seen a decline in registration in recent years, coinciding with a similar increase in registration for youth travel baseball.

"It's all to do with percentage points. What's happened is part of a larger trend," Anderson said. "It's been a five year trend, but there again, it's pretty well plateaued."

The league had 515 registrants last summer and 260 for the fall season, Anderson said.

Anderson said the league has run financially in the black "for a number of years" and reported income for their most recent year was $60,900, with expenses at $52,700. The league runs on registration fees and, to a lesser extent, sponsorships.

"My goal is to run it as a break-even," Anderson said. "I anticipate that the income and expenses should stay pretty much the same. This is relatively stable."

Anderson said approval to allow the city's parks department to take the reins in 2016 could come at the next Board of Aldermen meeting.

"I think we're moving forward with it and just take one step at a time," he said.

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627