City's Youth League, council reach deal on disputed ballfields

The contract dispute between Scott City's park board and youth league seems to have reached a resolution both sides can accept -- as long as they can agree on terms for a new contract between the city and the not-for-profit league.

At its regular meeting Monday night the Scott City Council -- the body that has authority over the city's contract with the Scott City Youth League -- voted to terminate the league's current lease of park facilities. But the termination was conditional upon a new contract being drafted and agreed upon by the park board, youth league and city council before the end of the year.

After the meeting Scott City Youth League president LeAnn Wilthong, also a city council member, said she was pleased with the outcome of the vote, and she expressed optimism that contract negotiations will provide for a better working relationship in the future.

The measure to void the current contract and draw up a new one passed 7 to 0, with Wilthong abstaining.

At its September meeting the park board voted to terminate the city's contract with the youth league after receiving a series of complaints about dirty bathrooms and unstaffed concession stands. Some parents also complained that the youth league leadership didn't allow them to participate in decisions and didn't post proper notice of its meetings.

However, the park board doesn't have the authority to opt out of the youth league contract or let it lapse. The original contract was started in 2000, signed by the mayor and authorized by the city council. That contract allows the youth league use of city park facilities for its summer baseball and softball leagues, while the city is responsible for upkeep of those facilities.

The recent contract dispute was brought to the public on Oct. 8, when a special city council meeting was called so council members could hear from youth league supporters and leadership who supported keeping the contract and the park board and its supporters, who wanted not to renew the contract and allow the city to take over youth sports. The meeting was the first one in which the issue was brought before the city council.

If the city didn't renew the contract, it would have effectively ended the youth league in Scott City, as the league would have no facilities to use.

Now two members from each of three bodies -- the park board, youth league and city council -- will meet as a committee over the next few weeks to come up with new contract terms. City council members Bill Schwartz and Jim McCarty have agreed to sit on the committee.

The park board will identify its committee members at its next meeting. Youth league representatives are yet to be named.

Park board members didn't disclose exactly what new terms they'll ask for in the contract, but said part of the contract will include the establishment of a board to hear and resolve complaints about youth league operations and a requirement that the youth league draft new bylaws.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182