Borough meeting to resolve Speed-O-Field banishment ends with no agreement
BUTLER, Pa. (KDKA) - Fighting to bring back East Butler baseball.
Youth baseball has been around for more than 70 years. The East Butler Baseball Association (EBBA) is no longer permitted to access the field after the borough banned them last month over a dispute over a contract.
KDKA's Jennifer Borrasso was at a special meeting where borough leaders and the public voiced their opinions.
Nothing was decided on Tuesday night. Both sides addressed the council, saying they wanted to reach an agreement.
There was a lot of passion about what the contract should look like.
The borough owns the fields.
Coaches with East Butler Baseball Association say a gentleman's agreement allowed the league to play there for the past 70 years.
In August, the league presented a new contract to the borough to continue maintaining and using the facilities, and instead of agreeing, the borough locked them out, saying they wanted them to sign a contract giving them total control.
The borough said Tuesday night they did that since the EBBA hired a lawyer.
EBBA wanted a 100-year contract; they put the time, money, and resources into the fields, exclusive rights to all signage, naming rights, and sponsorships associated with the ballpark. The association would coordinate scheduling events.
The borough told residents they wanted to rent the field out to a collegiate team, the East Butler Bulldogs and others, to bring in revenue to help maintain the ballpark.
Borough officials want a one-year contract. The utility costs would be split 50/50, and they want all advertising and naming rights to the ballpark, fields, and facilities.
"EBBA's first contract, not the one we have now, was the borough would maintain the park, we would get someone to run concessions, at the end of the season, we would reinvest money back in and use that money to operate for the next year they turned that down. Council was shocked," said East Butler Borough Council President Kevin Hesidenz. "To get exclusive rights to scheduling and the fields for 100 years, [it] ain't happening. When you come back and negotiate in good faith, and you have reasonable expectations, I hope they are willing to listen."
"We understand there has to be a contract," Marie Porter of the EBBA said. "We tried to set up a mediation with the borough. We understand the legalities and importance of insurance. The borough wouldn't agree on that."
The borough council president told KDKA that the East Butler Baseball Association 'will remain banned' through the rest of the year until a new agreement is signed.
No word on when the two sides will talk again.
Right now, the kids are playing at other ball fields.
