Representatives from yet another youth sports organization in Ceres went before the Ceres City Council last week to protest what could be forthcoming fee increases charged by the city of Ceres.
Ceres Youth Baseball leaders voiced their objections to talks of a $50 per player fee charge by the city for field use, much as did Ceres Youth Soccer Organization leaders did on Aug. 12. City Manager Doug Dunford later said talks about implementing the CYSO fee increase was ill timed and backed away from the $50 charge since CYSO’s fall league was just starting and players already paid their $100 fee. CYSO said the city taking half of the fee for field use was unacceptable.
Ismael Ontiveras, vice president of CYB appeared before the council on Aug. 26 and said his group also received a call from the city about their per-player fee being jacked up to $50.
“We wanted to show up as well,” said Ontiveras, “and voice our displeasure with it, with the rate hike … because we’re already looking at raising our fees because the $150 that we charge it has been four years and we saw that this year we weren’t going to stay afloat with charging that.”
He added that the rate hike would force CYB to charge $225 per player which would not be “affordable for a lot of our families.”
Dunford explained that the city will be putting off negotiations for a CYB contract fee hike until November or December. He added that he was going to include members of the city council to sit in on the negotiations.
“We’ll show CYB what are costs are actually going into the negotiations and somehow meet in the middle,” Dunford told Mayor Javier Lopez.
Ontiveras also wanted to know if the city is still committed to $200,000 in ARPA funds to improve George Costa Fields. Improvements to the ballfield complex were made before spring play started in March but Ontiveras understood that $160,000 left over will not be available any longer, to which the mayor said was untrue.
Lopez said the city has invested over $100,000 in upgrades but didn’t want to get into details.
Jorge Guerrero, president of CYB, said he was told to get estimates on lighting upgrades for the baseball fields but understood the funds may have been diverted elsewhere.
“They told me that the lights for Field #3 was going to be done and … nothing’s been done,” said Guerrero. “Now we see that there is going to be a gazebo built when it’s more important for the safety of our players on our fields.”
Mayor Lopez said the council is considering solar powered lights for the field.
When Guerrero tried to nail down a time, Lopez would only said “in the future.”
“The reason I ask for a time frame is because ‘the future’ is wide open,” said Guerrero. “It’s been a year.”
Earlier this year the city improved the complex fields with 70/30 infield mix, tilled and graded. Packing clay was installed at batter boxes and catcher’s box. Conditioner was installed and there was a smooth out for the infield transition. The project included fertilizer application and two mowings of the outfield.
The complex restrooms were upgraded, including new faucets and sinks while 53 feet of chain-link fencing around the complex was replaced with wrought iron fencing with a rolling gate at the front entrance. New signage was also added.
