Politics & Government

Leagues Strike Out Again Against Woodinville

City council votes to uphold the 2011 rates for the Woodinville Sports Fields.

Youth sports leagues lost again Tuesday night in trying to get the city to honor permits to play on new Woodinville Sport Fields that were erroneously issued at 2010 rates for the 2011 season.

The controversy started when eight youth sports leagues booked the Woodinville fields for the 2011 sports season last December, at the 2010 rates, only to have the city ask for more money in January. The leagues said they were urged by city staff in the parks and recreation department to get their applications and payments in before Dec. 31. If the leagues met that deadline, they would lock in the 2010 fees on the fields, instead of the 2011 fees which doubled.

 The ball clubs claim when the city issued them permits, it was a binding contract. The city claims the permits do not fall under the legal definition of a contract because the leagues may cancel the season and get a refund.

Find out what's happening in Woodinvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Two weeks ago the city council voted to uphold the 2011 rates, when the subject was revisited Tuesday, the vote was again to impose the new fees. Council members Chuck Price, Jeff Glickman, Bernie Talmas and Susan Boundy-Sanders all voted in favor of upholding the 2011 fees, regardless of the permits issued in December 2010. Council members Liz Aspen and Scott Hageman voted to honor the permits issued at the 2010 prices. Councilwoman Paulette Bauman abstained from voting citing a possible conflict of interest because her daughter currently plays on the sport fields.

Councilwoman Liz Aspen maintained her previous position that the city issued the permits and must honor them. She said the mistake was created by city staff and ethics dictate the city stand behind permits issued by staff.

Find out what's happening in Woodinvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I do not feel comfortable saying tough luck to our youth,” she said.

The city stands to lose about $31,000, that is the difference between the 2010 sport fields’ rental fees and the 2011 rates. Financial Director Jim Katica said the city based its bi-annual budget on the sports facility bringing in at least $120,000 in revenue, but will fall far short of that, primarily because no adult leagues have booked the fields.

Councilman Scott Hageman said the burden of the extra money owed will come down on Woodinville kids, and that if it is a difference of the city loosing $31, 000 or hundreds of kids being able to play ball, he is willing to forgo the money.

“I’m not willing to shortchange that for $31,000,” he said.

Hageman pointed out that the amount the city would lose if the 2011 rates were not charged to the eight leagues that underpaid, is a small percentage of the city’s bi-annual budget.

Small or not, Mayor Chuck Price said the city cannot afford to undercut the cost of renting the sport facility. He added that the leagues had been aware that the prices for use of the fields were going to be more in 2011 than in the previous year, and should pay the higher rates. The leagues, which all received permits from the city prior to Jan. 1, contend that they were following instructions from city employees and had no knowledge that the new 2011 fees would be applied retroactively.

“Yes they did know,” Aspen said. “They were told a different rate by staff.”

The council raised the fields’ fees in August 2010, effective Jan. 1 2011, doubling the cost of playing ball on the new artificial-turf fields. Hourly fees for adult leagues increased to $70 per hour for city residents, and $40 per hour for youth teams. If fewer than 10 percent of a team’s members are city residents, the fees are slightly higher.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Woodinville