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Depew implements new charging fee
In a continued effort by a revamped village government to raise funds and offset costs in Depew, the village board decided to institute a fee of $25 per game for the use of Dawson Field even though a representative of a local baseball league that plays there balked at the idea.
Larry Komendat, the director of the Intermediate and Senior Division of the Lancaster and Depew Babe Ruth Leagues, spoke on behalf of the organization, which believes that there should not be a new cost for house leagues to play at the baseball diamond on Columbia Avenue. After discussions about establishing a possible fee earlier in the month, the board passed the resolution at Tuesday's village meeting. The fee would assist with the cost of maintaining the diamond, which is owned by the Depew Union Free School District but is maintained and rebuilt by the village.
The district gave its consent to the resolution, which was argued during the last village meeting, with many residents believing Depew should charge even more for the field, which goes unused by the village's recreation department.
"We decided this would be the first year to implement the policy because we need to find a way to generate funds to our residents," Village Mayor Barbara Alberti said. "It's hard for us to substantiate how we are maintaining property that we don't use and yet we're charging our taxpayers for."
Komendat said the leagues for baseball players 13-15 and 16-18 years-of-age, mostly from Lancaster, along with Depew, scheduled a 12- game season with the understanding that there would be no cost. He noted that although he understood the need for the fee, it was his understanding that the house leagues that have played on the fields for many years had a verbal agreement with the village that there would be no charge for field use.
"When we received the bill, it came as a surprise to us and we did not budget for it this winter," Komendat said. "We are at a loss for words right now about this fee."
Alberti said it was a nominal fee compared to what many other municipalities charge for field use. Those costs she said sometimes range from $75 to $150. Considering that the village must pay union wages to employees to maintain the field, she said that it has come to the point that Depew no longer can afford to maintain Dawson Field without some financial assistance.
"We've given away so many things in this village that people have taken for granted," Alberti said. "There are so many ways besides just taxing people to generate funds to offset some costs. Believe me, $25 is a drop in the bucket for what it has cost for diamond dry, line marker, grass seed and replacing sod and topsoil."
Trustee William Dillemuth argued that with approximately 800 players in the leagues, it would cost the organization a very reasonable, approximately 40 cents per player for a full slate of games at the field during the summer season.
"You do the math and that's the end of discussion in my mind," Dillemuth said. "That's really cheap."
However, Komendat said this fee and future fees the board is considering for fields, such as at Fireman's Park admittedly sends a negative message to today's youth already struggling with issues such as obesity.
"At a time when we're trying to get kids into physical activities and something worthwhile, I would hate to see these kids of our community get used as a means to generate funding," he said.
Trustee Carl Monti suggested now that they realize the fee has been established, the leagues should plan fundraisers to offset their costs, like the village is obliged to offset its own.
"We can no longer afford it and we're going to do what we have to do to make the village economical," Monti said.
In other news, Village Attorney Anthony Nosek announced that he has had conversations with representatives of Southeast Works after the not-for-profit organization recently signed a conditional purchase agreement for the former Depew Public Library on Columbia Avenue with the Town of Lancaster.
After conversations with Judith Shandley, director of Southeast Works, and the organization's attorney, Nosek recommended to the board that it take up Southeast Works on its offer to hold an informational meeting for the public concerning its plans for the property.
Nosek said he discussed zoning in that area with Southeast Works, a service provider to those with developmental disabilities which is only responsible for the payment of minimal taxes on the property. The village still needs to grant regulatory approvals for the purchase since it is in a residential zone.
He suggested the meeting take place before July 5 when Southeast Works is scheduled to go in front of the Village Planning Board.
While talks of merging the village's sewer system with Erie County continue in the exploratory phase, board Trustee Joe Keefe said that he believed that the village will eventually proceed with a consolidation plan that would result in cost savings and it would probably be instituted by January 2008.
Alberti said the May 19 Cleanup Depew Day was a success with approximately 60 volunteers cleaning village-owned properties and collecting more than 100 bags of trash and two trucks-full of debris.
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