Resolution reached in CFBA baseball lease
By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News
Last week a resolution lessened the financial burden on the Columbia Falls Baseball Association and Glacier Babe Ruth.
CFBA was notified just after the first of the new year that there would be a dramatic — and program-threatening — increase in the cost of the Association's annual lease pertaining to State land adjacent to the Montana Veterans' Home for the three-field baseball complex. Glacier Babe Ruth also uses the facility.
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) notified CFBA and Glacier Babe Ruth that the $10 annual lease fee would go up to $3,500 — beginning with the 2008 season. Anne Shaw Moran, Kalispell Unit Planner with DNRC, met with baseball officers in mid-January. Moran was very cooperative and said DNRC realized the dilemma facing the local programs.
The current agreement is that CFBA pays for two-thirds of expenses for the complex adjacent to the Veterans' Home, and Glacier Babe Ruth takes care of the other third. In essence, Glacier Babe Ruth sub-leases the land from CFBA.
"DNRC is going to work with us," Glacier Babe Ruth President Ray Queen said Tuesday.
DNRC has worked out a four-year plan on the lease, phasing in the $3,500 annual fee by the end of that period with "step-up" increments. The cost, shared by CFBA and Glacier Babe Ruth, is $856 for 2008. It will be $1,700 for 2009; $2,500 for 2010; and $3,500 for 2011.
Queen said he understands that the lease fee could go up after the four-year period.
Money collected by DNRC on the lease goes into the Veterans' Home budget.
Queen said the baseball associations in Columbia Falls and Whitefish have the utmost respect for the Veterans' Home and its residents.
"I believe we owe the veterans everything we live for," Queen said. "We want to work it out where everyone is a winner."
He added that veterans, especially residents of the Home, are always welcome at games at Sapa-Johnrud Memorial Field, as well as Cornelia and Smith fields.
The local associations are working together on improvements to the complex since Columbia Falls and Whitefish are hosting the 13 Prep and 13-15 Babe Ruth state tournaments concurrently July 16-20. In addition to Sapa-Johnrud Field, two Smith fields at the sports complex just east of North Valley Hospital and Twins Field in Whitefish will be utilized for the state tourneys.
"We want to help improve that facility and for it [baseball] to become a game of the town," Queen said. "We'll make something happen that is positive… This can be a very good baseball community."
Queen is hoping that revenue from the two Babe Ruth state tournaments will cover this year's cost of the lease. In the meantime, CFBA and Glacier Babe Ruth will be raising funds for the programs.
Brenda Houston serves in two baseball capacities. She is CFBA secretary, and secretary-treasurer of Glacier Babe Ruth. She spoke about where the money would come from to pay more for the lease, for at least the next four years.
"We'll have to re-evaluate our budget," Houston said. "We'll see whether to cut costs or raise fees."