4BillsintheBurgh Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Just hoping to get a little advice regarding dealing with local government. The situation is this: I am involved with a local soccer club that uses our local townships park fields for games and practice. This spring the recreation board has decided to rent the fields Monday and Tuesday nights to competative club so our local club will not be able to practice on them. While I realize the board can do what it wants I would like to push back through our township board and am looking for advice on how to do that. As one of many volunteers it kind of sucks to get 40% of our possible practice days taken away and the local club gets nothing but cut grass from our recreational board. I appreciate any help/advice on where to start. My first thought is to go to the township manager and probably a township board meeting but I'm wondering if I will need to go higher. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 7 minutes ago, 4BillsintheBurgh said: Just hoping to get a little advice regarding dealing with local government. The situation is this: I am involved with a local soccer club that uses our local townships park fields for games and practice. This spring the recreation board has decided to rent the fields Monday and Tuesday nights to competative club so our local club will not be able to practice on them. While I realize the board can do what it wants I would like to push back through our township board and am looking for advice on how to do that. As one of many volunteers it kind of sucks to get 40% of our possible practice days taken away and the local club gets nothing but cut grass from our recreational board. I appreciate any help/advice on where to start. My first thought is to go to the township manager and probably a township board meeting but I'm wondering if I will need to go higher. Thanks. My advice is dont waste your time. Find new fields or different time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve O Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 This is one of those times when it would definitely help to know someone on your town board. It just makes a difference. If you don't, maybe one of the other parents do and can help, reach out. Failing that, sounds like decision has been made. As 4BillsITB says, don't frustrate yourself, find new fields or different times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 9 minutes ago, Steve O said: This is one of those times when it would definitely help to know someone on your town board. It just makes a difference. If you don't, maybe one of the other parents do and can help, reach out. Failing that, sounds like decision has been made. As 4BillsITB says, don't frustrate yourself, find new fields or different times. Um Buffalo Barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 So were you paying to use the fields, or getting it for free? And this other club is paying? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cripple Creek Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 28 minutes ago, 4BillsintheBurgh said: Just hoping to get a little advice regarding dealing with local government. The situation is this: I am involved with a local soccer club that uses our local townships park fields for games and practice. This spring the recreation board has decided to rent the fields Monday and Tuesday nights to competative club so our local club will not be able to practice on them. While I realize the board can do what it wants I would like to push back through our township board and am looking for advice on how to do that. As one of many volunteers it kind of sucks to get 40% of our possible practice days taken away and the local club gets nothing but cut grass from our recreational board. I appreciate any help/advice on where to start. My first thought is to go to the township manager and probably a township board meeting but I'm wondering if I will need to go higher. Thanks. Contact @Limeaid he has a wonderful way with people. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaoulDuke79 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Can you change practice days or times so you can use the same fields? If not I would say find another field and burn giant phalluses in the fields that you got pushed out of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuvian Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 If you had the same field time last year you should get first right of refusal this year. Go through your elected representative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4BillsintheBurgh Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 34 minutes ago, Buffalo Barbarian said: My advice is dont waste your time. Find new fields or different time. Not really a possibility for the most part, the time issue becomes squeezing all the teams (9 between 3 fields) in. Plus the wear and tear on the fields, which again all the rec board does is to cut the grass. I wouldn't be so pissed if they put some effort or gave us the money to keep up the fields 17 minutes ago, Just Jack said: So were you paying to use the fields, or getting it for free? And this other club is paying? Depends how you look at it. The township park is funded by tax dollars; the parents of the kids pay the taxes. The other club is paying the rec board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 (edited) 2 minutes ago, 4BillsintheBurgh said: Not really a possibility for the most part, the time issue becomes squeezing all the teams (9 between 3 fields) in. Plus the wear and tear on the fields, which again all the rec board does is to cut the grass. I wouldn't be so pissed if they put some effort or gave us the money to keep up the fields Government wont help you , they dont care. Can you practice against the other team? Edited March 24, 2019 by Buffalo Barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4BillsintheBurgh Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 14 minutes ago, stuvian said: If you had the same field time last year you should get first right of refusal this year. Go through your elected representative I just didn't know if I should go to the state rep or stick with the local township board first. I almost feel like I should just go to the state guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Sneak into the board room when no one is around and put some raw shrimp inside a curtain rod. You’ll thank me in about 2 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 4 minutes ago, 4BillsintheBurgh said: Depends how you look at it. The township park is funded by tax dollars; the parents of the kids pay the taxes. The other club is paying the rec board. And there's your problem. They are getting more money from the other club. Your money is coming no matter what. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4BillsintheBurgh Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 1 minute ago, Buffalo Barbarian said: Government wont help you , they dont care. Can you practice against the other team? It might be a possiblity, that's a good idea, but their kids' parents are paying $2,000+ per year for their kids to get professional coaching so I don't know if they would want to spend that time scrimmaging us. 1 minute ago, Johnny Hammersticks said: Sneak into the board room when no one is around and put some raw shrimp inside a curtain rod. You’ll thank me in about 2 days. Nice, I will consider it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Probably not much you can do, fields and parks usually require you to book them, and typically a 'first come first serve' thing. Some places may hold or give preference to long time groups, but they dont have to. If they booked/reserved the field first for those days and times, fighting will be a waste of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4BillsintheBurgh Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 1 minute ago, Just Jack said: And there's your problem. They are getting more money from the other club. Your money is coming no matter what. Sure, it's just screwing your local kids, and in turn the local schools because if my local club can't function then the school teams won't have a chance to compete. I wouldn't mind so much if they at least put the money back into the fields, or in some way, shape or form find a way to the local club. It's like dealing with a different township instead of one where you'd think you would be taken care of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 1 minute ago, 4BillsintheBurgh said: It might be a possiblity, that's a good idea, but their kids' parents are paying $2,000+ per year for their kids to get professional coaching so I don't know if they would want to spend that time scrimmaging us. each parent is paying 2 grand!? Thats a lot of money. Dont know how you can compete with that. if you or the other parents have property you might want to make field there. Are there schools that can let you use their fields? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Beard Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 We ran into a similar situation. Fortunately one of the parents was the local orthodontist. $$$. He lived on a huge piece of property. A hobby farm. We met at his place when the real field wasn’t available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4BillsintheBurgh Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said: Probably not much you can do, fields and parks usually require you to book them, and typically a 'first come first serve' thing. Some places may hold or give preference to long time groups, but they dont have to. If they booked/reserved the field first for those days and times, fighting will be a waste of time. We have been using these fields since probably the early nineties, maybe the 80's. It's not like we're from another area and are just paying to use them. The park is local and being used by local kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 2 minutes ago, 4BillsintheBurgh said: Sure, it's just screwing your local kids, and in turn the local schools because if my local club can't function then the school teams won't have a chance to compete. I wouldn't mind so much if they at least put the money back into the fields, or in some way, shape or form find a way to the local club. It's like dealing with a different township instead of one where you'd think you would be taken care of. hate to be so negative but government could care less. If you got money they they are open for business if not you're out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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