Joel Webb, the volunteer director for Preston’s recreational baseball program, told the city council that online registration problems and worn equipment kept children from playing this season and asked the city for help with fields, safety checks and fundraising.

“A lot of families hit error messages when they tried to submit their payment, so they had to switch browsers, try multiple times. My wife personally fielded about 30 or 40 phone calls or texts from parents as they ran into troubles with this,” Webb said.

Webb said at least five children did not play after they could not complete the online registration and never reached out for help. He also recommended implementing background checks for volunteer coaches and asked the council for help with field repairs and equipment replacement.

“This is a basic safety step that we need to take, just to protect our kids,” Webb said about background checks. He described recurring maintenance needs at the ballfields: “We need more dirt. It's called diamond dirt, and, the where the bases and home plate and the pitcher's mound are, it it sinks every year.” Webb also said backstops and chain-link fences are “in really horrible shape” and that some helmets and bats date back nine years.

A council member responded that the city previously ran coach background checks for a couple seasons about 10 years ago and said, “I will visit with our chief of police in the near future and see what it's gonna take to do that,” adding they would follow up with Webb.

Webb presented a separate, itemized 2025 budget summary to the council to show how program funds were spent and said the documents “reflect a strong and responsible season.” He also cast a long-term vision for Preston to have dedicated, tournament-ready baseball fields worked on by “city leadership, the rec board, local organizations, and the families who make this program special.”

Council members discussed likely funding sources and volunteer support; one councilor asked Webb for cost estimates, and Webb said a truckload of diamond dirt previously cost about $1,500 delivered and that decent baseball helmets run about $35–$50 each, with 30–50 helmets likely needed to replace worn gear for next season.

The council did not take a formal vote on Webb’s requests at the meeting. Councilors indicated two follow-ups: staff will discuss background checks with the police chief and examine field-maintenance options, and councilors said they would explore potential budget or partner support for equipment and fundraising assistance.

Webb closed by thanking the council for support of youth baseball and reiterating his hope that the program can grow into a tournament-ready facility in the future.