Council rescinds terminating agreement with Little League
DUNBAR – Mayor Ron Gross cast the tie-breaking vote Monday for borough council to rescind a letter sent to the Dunbar Little League terminating a 29-year lease agreement with the organization after representatives failed to attend a meeting last month to address parking and traffic problems. Voting in favor were council members John Maddas, Norman Gordon and Bob Opst, with Patrick Fitzgerald, president, Amy Gross and Laureen Malachin opposed.
According to the letter dated May 28 sent to John Hustosky, Little League president, council agreed to cancel the organization’s lease effective Aug. 1 for the John Dunaway field due to improper conduct in reference to page two of the lease.
The letter was drafted by former councilwoman Peggy Zadell, who signed it along with Fitzgerald, Gordon, Malachin, Gross and the mayor.
The letter further stated the decision was made in part on the impression that “since you or a representative of your organization, chose not to attend the scheduled meeting May 26, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. to try and resolve the issues or altercations relative to parking and traffic, the Little League is unwilling to work with Dunbar Borough Council at this time.”
The borough and Little League entered into the agreement in June 2008 so the Little League could apply for grant money to purchase equipment.
John Hustosky, league president, and John Frick, vice president, along with parents and grandparents of ball players, argued the reason for termination didn’t coincide with the conditions of the lease because the parking problems have occurred near the fire hall, which is located outside the boundaries.
While Hustosky and Frick said they were aware of the meeting, they said they waited at the ball field since they were not informed of where it was being held.
“If it’s dealing with the field, then that’s where you’re going to meet to discuss boundaries,” Hustosky said.
Fitzgerald said he, on the other hand, was waiting at council chambers and no one showed.
Over the last several months, council debated taking some form of action to help curb parking problems that resulted from the games taking place the same night as bingo at the fire hall, which his adjacent to the ball field.
Amy Gross, council member, reported people have parked in front of the fire department’s doors, at times, blocking the trucks, while Frick said he informed parents where they are prohibited from parking.
“We spend all of our money on this field and take care of all the maintenance down there and it is a shining star in this town,” said Hustosky.
As a means to alleviate the parking issues, a Dunbar Township resident who attended the meeting suggested scheduling future ball games when bingo isn’t going on.
Fitzgerald recalled the Little League has always used the field even when there wasn’t a lease.
Hustosky said he preferred having a lease since it would give the Little League certain authority over the ball field in the future.
In relation to the problems, council agreed to hold a meeting June 28 at 7 p.m. at the fire hall to further discuss possible changes to the lease.
In an unrelated matter, council appointed Jason Bartholomai to replace the vacancy created by Zadell.
Bartholomai was one of five applicants for the post with Gross, Fitzgerald and Malachin voting in favor and Gordon, Opst and Maddas opposed while Mayor Gross cast the tie-breaking vote.