BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
A youth sports group is experiencing was shocked when its new season began, and it was told there would now be a fee to hit the field.
Rodney Mosley, emphasizing the Bradford Cowboys Athletic Association has been active around 50 years, hasn’t been charged for using facilities at Bradford High School in that time. He said when the plans were being made to update the football field, the former school district administration told them the community would not be charged for using it.
That has changed, placing the organization in a difficulty situation.
“I’m here tonight because the fees that we’re being charged to use the field is basically going to put the organization out of business,” he told the school board Sept. 9. As a nonprofit group, they rely on fees, donations and sponsorships to survive. The true cost, including uniforms and equipment, is around $25,000 to $30,000, he said. They’ve been raising around half of that amount and are just trying to keep the organization afloat.
Now, a one-time field rental, including the cost of security and custodial services, will be $1,000. Mosley said they have always paid for security and custodial services, but again repeated the cost of renting the field would put them out of business.
“The organization is celebrating 50 years of being in the community, being a service to the community kids throughout the last 50 years,” he said, noting the Cowboys feed many football players into the high school’s athletic program.
“I feel, and I know a lot of other people feel, this organization is a cornerstone in this community,” Mosley said.
“I have been volunteering for 14 years,” said Brandy Addison on behalf of the Cowboys. “It’s very hard in this community for us to even get money and funds for these kids to participate. Most of us on the board are actually taking money out of our pocket to even make this organization work for our community, for the youth in our community. So, I just want to say that I feel like this is the fees are outrageous.”
She said the school board should consider how much the volunteers are doing to keep kids out of trouble.
Willie Brown, one of the organization’s founders, said the youth have been playing on the field without a fee for 49 years. This year they found out they were being moved to the practice field. Now kids are wondering why they can’t play at the stadium.
“That’s why we’re here tonight, trying to get some consideration. And like I said, these fees for us to play is ridiculous. You know, we can’t afford it,” he said.
The school board revised the facility usage fees in May. They start at $100 for a classroom or $200 for a cafeteria but jump to $700 or $800 for use of the new facilities at Bradford Elementary School. The high school auditorium and football field start at $500 but increase if the sound system is needed. The football field plus press box and lights is $800. Security adds $35 an hour, and custodial is $100-plus, depending on weekend or holiday hours.
Superintendent Will Hartley suggested the board needs to further workshop the fees in the future, stating the use of new facilities should command a greater price.
Hartley said the district is in a phase of improvements — a new football field and a new school. It is working on a new high school, which will have a new gym.
The Cowboys continue to play for free on the practice field after paying a $500 deposit charged to everyone, which is refundable if there is no damage. But damage is something the district has had to deal with, he said, including a burn in the field and broken backs on the reserved seating.
Hartley said there have also been physical altercations resulting calls to law enforcement to assist onsite security.
When facilities are damaged, the renter must pay, but the superintendent said it is district employees that must make the repairs.
Hartley said in the future they can discuss lower fees for older facilities while sticking by the discussion in May that everyone needs to pay, especially considering increasing demand.
“The more and more people that come, everyone can’t come for free,” he said.
