I would like to think that we are all very passionate when it comes to involving our children in youth sports. All of us are volunteers and we put our kids before us.
The President of Seekonk Youth Baseball needs our help. This is not about Soccer or Baseball, it is about our Town Government (yes...the one we all pay taxes towards in the theory that they represent us). Rules, regulations, and the unproductive stand of,”you are going to do it this way because WE said so”, have stifled the creativity, joy, and sense of accomplishment that every taxpaying resident of this town has felt by being involved in something good for their children.
Read the request by brother Silva below and get OUTRAGED!!!
- Quote :
- To all Parents:
The past 5 years the Board of health has inspected our concession stand and we received our permit. This year the board of health showed up the day before opening day and demanded that we install a triple bay sink and a hand washing sink before we could cook hamburgers. They also instructed the Fire Chief to come in and inspect our vent hood over the fryerlaters.
The fire chief now wants us to install a fire suppression system before we can use the fryerlaters and cook french fries, dough boys, chicken nuggets, etc. These requests are a major renovation project for the league and the cost is outrageous. We are only open 4 hours a week and 12 weeks out of the whole year. These requirements could have been met over this past winter if we were informed it was needed last year after that inspection. The timing could not be worse for us.
The league makes about $1,000 dollars profit per week and this money is much needed to run the league and it helps defray the cost of uniforms, equipment, fees for all-stars, and pays for those children less fortunate who cannot afford to pay but we accommodate and welcome them to play. We will never turn a child away and for the past 60 years we have an impeccable record with little league international.
There is no program more important than safety and we have a safety plan as thick as a phone book which gets submitted every year to little league international and that approval of plan helps reduce our insurance cost by 20%.
I have met with our board of Health Agent Beth and chairman of the board Al Smith asking for them to let us continue to operate as is for this season and we will make the changes after the season so we can earn money to keep the league running. It was denied. I met the Fire Chief Al Jack and the State fire Marshall inspector along with the new building inspector Mary asking them for a reprieve until the season is over. We even offered to pay a fire fighter a detail to sit up at the stand with a fire extinguisher until the season is over before we make all these renovations. That request was also denied. The new building inspector Mary wants us to add security lighting and exit signs in the stand. We are only open during day light hours and once again unrealistic expectations.
I am asking all of you to contact Mike Carroll our Town Manager on Monday with your dissatisfaction and we all understand that laws and regulations are here to keep people safe but commonsense with all these people is no where to be found. Again, we can work to make these changes in the off season.
As you know, I am at those fields every night watching to make sure that the kids stay as safe as possible both on and off the fields. Our league is in dire straits without this money, as we have seen serious decline in our sponsorship and advertising sign renewals in this economy. We are losing money every where and these people don't care.
Contact Mike Carroll at the Town hall and let your voice be heard.
Thank you
Lenny
President
OUTRAGED yet???
I sure hope so…this is your town. We are always in need of volunteers. Well this time is no exception. I am asking every Seekonk resident that gets this e-mail to make a single phone call today.
Call our Town Administrator;
Michael Carroll 508-336-2910
Tell him that you are OUTRAGED. Tell them that our government needs to be an asset to youth sports in this town and not a thorn in its side. Demand action!
Let your voice be heard Seekonk!!!
Dave Abbott
Seekonk Youth Soccer President
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