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Baseball association asks council for bigger, multi-year park budget as registrations rise
Summary
New Carlisle Baseball/Softball Association asked council for increased recurring funding and help on infrastructure after describing volunteer maintenance, growing registration (368–550 players), recent $10,500 corporate donation and major capital needs including fences and building repairs.
Dan Rodewald, representing the New Carlisle Baseball/Softball Association, asked City Council to increase the program’s annual allotment to help maintain and upgrade the town’s most‑used park and its five baseball fields.
Rodewald said the association — a nonprofit that leases and maintains the 7‑acre park — provided $12,000 in field maintenance this year, bought 70 tons of field topper, purchased a $7,000 tractor and recently acquired a new utility vehicle (gator). The group paid for dugouts this year (about $4,000 apiece) and is seeking funds to finish four remaining dugouts and repair a deteriorating equipment building the group said the city owns but that sits on the park site.
“We put $12,000 in maintenance on field maintenance,” Rodewald said. He told council that within New Carlisle there were 368 youth players last year and that, including players from neighboring Bethel and likely absorbing some of the Med Lake program, the association expects between 500 and 600 kids this season.
Rodewald said fencing around the park is about 36 years old; a quote for a complete replacement obtained two years earlier was roughly $125,000, which he said has likely risen since then. He asked the council to plan for a multiyear budget increase — he suggested a stable annual budget of $15,000 to $20,000 that could roll over if not spent in a given year.
Councilors and staff discussed financing options. Staff noted some park maintenance costs are in existing lines for “maintenance of facilities” and “maintenance of infrastructure” and that the city will continue to consider infrastructure projects through the capital plan. A council member also offered to connect Rodewald with a commercial sponsor who said they were interested in community projects.
Rodewald said the association handled many costs directly and then received city reimbursement in prior years for specific projects (for example, rooftop repairs and dugouts). He noted the group must limit how much cash it retains annually to preserve nonprofit status; under their rules they cannot carry more than about $10,000 at year‑end without risking their 501(c)(3) standing.
Council did not vote on a dedicated appropriation during the meeting but discussed possible transfers and using existing parks‑and‑rec line items or special events funding for near‑term needs. Rodewald asked staff to review the new lease the association had just received and to consider larger capital needs in the city’s multi‑year planning.
