FROM THE WETUMPKA YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL LEAGUE
Balance Sheet at right with Income Statement on bottom of article.
Wetumpka Youth Baseball and Softball League’s (WYBSL) Response to the Statement from the City of Wetumpka Regarding Youth Softball and Baseball Activities, published on April 27, 2022 around 4 PM CST.
The Board Members of WYBSL are shocked at the City of Wetumpka’s Press Release (“Release”). The Release states facts which are not true. Instead, WYBSL Board Members, who are also PARENTS and COACHES, each of whom are non-paid, volunteers with full time job, have complied with any deadlines and requests for information that the City of Wetumpka has onerously sought during the middle of the season. The WYBSL Board wants to again be extremely transparent as we were in our e-mail last
Saturday.
WYBSL Board Members met with City of Wetumpka officials at 4 PM on Sunday for almost two (2) hours. City of Wetumpka officials which consisted of the City Attorney, the City Engineer, who also called himself the City Manager, and three (3) other City Employees. The Mayor and City Council were not present for this meeting. City of Wetumpka officials promised that they would reopen the fields it had locked at the Complex, so that WYBSL member’ players could finish their season, if we provided our treasurer reports and financial statements for 2021. Also, in return, City of Wetumpka officials assured us they would take out the language that gave the City control of our finances for any City project. Instead, we also mutually agreed to set up a Capital Improvement Plan Account (“Account”) that would benefit specifically the Baseball & Softball Fields.
A percentage of surplus at the end of the year would go into this Account, and both Parties would set up a committee to determine what projects money in the Account would be spent on improving the baseball and softball fields and facilities. Finally, the Parties agreed that the City of Wetumpka officials would not publicly speak about this situation any further, and asked us not
to as well until we had a signed agreement by May 12th. We agreed to not make any statements publicly until this was resolved because we wanted these kids to be able to finish out their season and play ball.
WYBSL Board Members are at a loss for the ill-treatment they are receiving by City of Wetumpka’s officials, and the untruthful statements in the Release. WYBSL responds specifically to those untruthful statements in the Release below in bold:
“The City of Wetumpka has been working diligently with the Wetumpka Youth Baseball & Softball League (the “League”) to address concerning activities that it has been made aware of during this year’s youth baseball and softball season. The League is a non-profit organization under Alabama law. Private entities are not allowed to make a profit through the use of Public facilities.”
We were not made aware of any “concerning activities” during this entire process.
“Private entities are not allowed to make a profit through the use of Public facilities.”
THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
“The City became aware that the Wetumpka Youth Baseball & Softball League was subleasing the fields to a for-profit business group without the City’s knowledge or permission.” We are not subleasing the fields. We are participating with seven (7) other local cities, all of which participate in the same baseball region of USSSA as we are, in a mid-season League ball Regional tournament. We scheduled this tournament with the contact listed on the City of Wetumpka’s website as the point of contact for scheduling the Wetumpka Sports Complex (https:// wetumpkaal.gov/living-visiting/wetumpka-sports-complex/) and explained in detail the process of this tournament, which is the same way that we have held tournaments in the past for mid-season tournaments and for All-Stars.
“In response, the City requested financial disclosures from the League to assess the situation and to address the legality of the League’s conduct.” City officials did not tell us they needed our financial documents for the reason of the proposed allegation they are claiming. We specifically asked, and they said that they have a right to see full financial disclosures for anyone using City property. We agreed in the meeting to give them our Treasurer report and Financial statements for 2021, which is the same document. We have a PUBLIC meeting that is held annually where we review that document line by line. We also answer ANY questions that may arise regarding this document. Every year, we strongly encourage every person that is a part of our local community to attend this meeting via all forms of communication.
Again, this is our Treasurer report. We also review this information at every monthly meeting.
“The City maintains the ballfields and pays all the utility expenses at a cost of approximately $350,000.00
per year.”
According to the City Budget, there is only $105,000 required for maintenance and to pay utilities.
In case we are missing something, here is the link to view that information. https://5x.63f.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FY2021-2022-FINAL-BUDGET.pdf
“At a meeting last Sunday, the League assured City Officials and the City Attorney that no money was being paid to a for-profit entity, period. On Monday, the League advised the City Attorney that this representation was untrue.”
This statement is extremely misleading and untrue. We did not assure them that no money was being paid to a for-profit entity. What we told the City of Wetumpka officials is we are hosting 121 teams from 7 cities along with other local cities parks like Millbrook, Holtville, Clanton, and Jemison. Our board offered to direct our own tournament and do all of the work ourselves so more money could go back into the League and into our Kids in Wetumpka. Every Baseball & Softball league is affiliated with a sanctioning body that provides help and
resources to make the season possible. The sanctioning body has official rules and have tournaments for All-stars that we all participate in every year. In the past, we have been sanctioned with the Dixie League, but last year the Board voted to make a move to USSSA Rec League for Baseball. This gives all of our kids an opportunity to experience tournament play and is more
competitive and lines teams up with other teams in other cities that are closer to the same competition level, so everyone has an opportunity to compete.
It is important to note that before the City of Wetumpka gave us an ultimatum at 4:30pm last Friday afternoon that they would shut down the League and lock their gates, we had NO CLUE or
WARNING that they were even concerned about the Tournament starting Monday the 25th. We only learned about this concern in a phone call one of our Board Members had directly with the
Mayor of Wetumpka on Saturday afternoon. The rest of the Board first learned of this concern at the meeting Sunday. As previously stated, we communicated clearly to the Sports Complex
Administrative Manager and have had this tournament scheduled before our baseball and softball season began on Monday March 28th. In the past, any tournament that would benefit our League and that was run by our League officials and was deemed a “League Ball” tournament has never been questioned. We had no reason to even know that this was a concern.
During the meeting on Sunday afternoon, City Officials asked us if USSSA was a non-profit or for profit entity. Because this has never been a prior concern, we informed them that we were unsure of the correct answer to their question. As a result, at that moment we immediately looked for the answer on the USSSA website (www.usssa.com). In USSSA’s by-laws, it states they are a non-profit organization and have been since the 1970’s. This was the only information that we had at that time, but they knew just as we did that we cannot assure them of anything, as we simply showed them what we found.
In a conversation we had with the USSSA Alabama State Director on Monday, April 25, we learned that the state organization that oversees USSSA for Alabama is a for-profit entity, but they are sanctioned through the national USSSA organization in Melbourne, FL. To be honest this was confusing, but as soon as we learned this information, we immediately contacted the City Attorney and told him this information. We also stated to him that if this proposed any conflict with the City, we, the WYBSL, would pay any fee to the City of Wetumpka, if they chose to impose one, to assure that all of these kids within our region would be playing in their mid-season tournament that they were looking forward to participating in. The City Attorney was grateful on the phone that we were so transparent and honest and willing help ensure this tournament was played for the benefit of our Kids. However, this statement in the Release leads everyone to believe we were dishonest with the City and that is NOT TRUE.
At the time of this Response, we as a Board have done our due diligence and our research has found that the USSSA is INDEED a non-profit organization. You can click the following link to view their most recent “Form 990 (Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax)”. That means that The Wetumpka Youth Baseball & Softball League is INDEED sanctioned with a non-profit organization.
“At the Sunday meeting, the League also assured City Officials that it would provide certain agreed upon financial records by the end of the day on the following Monday. Most of those records have not yet been provided.”
We assured City officials that we would provide our 2021 Treasurer Report which is the same document as our 2021 Financial Report and a Balance Sheet for the end of 2021. At 4:18PM on
April 25, we sent these documents to the City Attorney just as we had agreed to do in the meeting Sunday. He replied to the e-mail asking for bank statements and our 501c3 application, which we had never been discussed or requested. We have no problem sharing our bank statements; however, we do not have any agreement with the City that states that is necessary and we have been leery to share this information, as it contains sensitive and confidential information from our members and the documents previously agreed to be submitted tracks these statements. WYBSL is in the process of making sure that the bank statements are redacted appropriately, so that a parent’s address and checking account number is not shared purposely or accidentally with someone outside of the City of Wetumpka officials. Again, at the Sunday meeting, we mutually agreed to open the fields and agreed to provide the exact documents we sent at 4:18pm. Accordingly, we provided the documents that had been agreed. Nevertheless, the next day our Attorney sent the City our 501c3 application,
once we had received it from our accountant.
As we have maintained throughout this process, we have nothing to hide. We all have full-time jobs, but dedicate countless hours to ensuring all players have successful seasons. Youth athletics is so important for Kids. We do everything for the Kids.
If the City is prohibited to let private entities benefit from a taxpayer complex how are Travel Ball tournaments able to make tens of thousands of dollars every weekend?
They assured us in this meeting the Mayor loved these kids just like we did, but if that is the case, why were the Kids not important enough for him to show up to the meeting and work this out himself for the youth of our community. Why haven’t we seen him at the ballfields watching kids play ball every once in a while? Why has he denied request for answers when asked and pawned it off to other city workers?
Lastly, the WYBSL is a transparent organization comprised of Board Members with upstanding character and integrity who have the best interests of the families of this community at the forefront of our hearts and minds. We are not a bunch of people who are out here trying to manipulate people with tricks and tactics that are morally impure. Every member of this Board is a PARENT first and COACH second who serves selflessly into the late hours of the night, many times missing the opportunities to read bedtime stories to a toddler, or having that meaningful conversation with that son or daughter that may have had a rough day at school, or missing that “Date Night” that was planned weeks prior with that spouse or
significant other. Why do we do it? It’s not because we’re trying to hide anything. It’s because…WE LOVE THIS LEAGUE and all of the families that make it what it is!
Sincerely,
The WYBSL Board
Commissioner – Matt Fallin
Deputy Commissioner of Baseball – Jason Taunton
Deputy Commissioner of Softball – Brad Cochrane
Treasurer – Robert Huggins
Baseball
Cubs
President – Wayne Cramer
Pre-Minors
President – Maurice Wright
Minors
President – Michael Dozier
Ozone
President – Tyler Ashmore
Babe Ruth
President – Hobson Curry
Softball
6U Girls
President – Jason Kitchen
8U Girls
President – Josh Highland
10U Girls
President – Chelcie Bradford
12U Girls
President – Donna Poeppelmeier
18U Girls
President – Josh Mann
