Talent council approves 5‑year lease with Phoenix‑Talent Little League, strikes abandonment clause

The Talent City Council on March 5 approved a five‑year lease with Phoenix‑Talent Little League for the ballfields south of Chuck Roberts Park, adopting staff edits and removing a clause that would have deemed any league property left on the site after termination “abandoned.” The motion to approve the lease as amended passed on a roll‑call vote; council authorized staff to sign the agreement and return it to Little League for signature.

The lease covers the site the league has used for about 20 years and includes provisions clarifying maintenance, allowed uses and ownership of improvements. City staff and councilors discussed edits requested by Little League and neighbors, including a list of structures the league says it owns (dugouts, concession building, viewing stands, fences, backstops and two structures near the tree line adjacent to Tarnas Road) and updated language referencing the city’s integrated pest management policy.

During public comment, Phoenix‑Talent Little League board members described the program’s role in the community: Shonda Bersk said the league has about 170 players, 57 vetted volunteers, about a dozen board members and more than 30 local business sponsors; she provided a 2024 maintenance figure of $15,396 (roughly $14,000 for mowing and repairs) plus roughly $3,600 in utilities and $6,000–$8,000 for jerseys. Board member Matt Nowalczyk told council that field demand has grown and asked the city to allow more year‑round use.

Council debate focused on three issues: the lease term, ownership/removal of structures, and whether the city has a near‑term plan for housing or other uses of the site. Some members supported a five‑year term to provide stability and allow the league to pursue grants; others argued for a shorter term or annual renewals to preserve flexibility if the city later prioritizes housing studies and redevelopment. Council removed the sentence that would have automatically deemed Little League property abandoned if left after termination and left final sign‑off contingent on Little League review.

Staff said the new lease would begin February 1 (the staff report noted the prior lease was expiring this year) and that the lease allows Little League to make the premises available to other sports users with city manager approval. Mayor Eris Flut and staff indicated the city will continue any outstanding analysis on potential future uses of the site, including housing suitability, but council did not adopt a resolution directing a change in use at this meeting.

The council’s action authorizes the city manager to execute the lease as edited and to return it to Little League for signature; if Little League declines to sign, the matter will return to council.