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McKeesport board members question city charges for youth-field use; seek explanation before paying invoices
Summary
Board members raised concerns after the district received invoices from the city charging rental fees for use of public ballfields, said to be funded by RAD; trustees called the charges 'double taxation' and requested an explanation and legal review before payment.
Several McKeesport Area School District board members on April 10 pressed district administrators for an explanation after the district received invoices charging fees for use of city ballfields used by district teams and youth organizations.
At the school board’s athletics committee report, members said the district received an invoice from the city listing charges for use of multiple fields: $500 for Jimmy Long Field, $500 for Filoti Field, and $1,000 for Helen Ritchie Field for the current year, with expectations the fees would increase next year. Committee members said the fees were billed to the district and questioned how the city would monitor who uses the fields and whether the charges amounted to double taxation for McKeesport residents.
Board members said those fields were donated or funded under federal RAD programs and suggested that, under existing agreements, the city should not charge for use. One board member said the Ramsey Park property (where some fields sit) was given to the city under agreement that prohibited charging for use. Another questioned whether the district or local youth groups — such as the McKeesport Baseball Association and “Little Tigers” — would be able to afford the fees and how they would be enforced.
The board asked district staff to request an explanation before paying the invoice. Members also discussed the district’s longer-term options, including seeking alternative locations by developing district-owned fields around McClure or other property, to avoid recurring charges. The board did not approve payment at the meeting and did not take a formal vote on the invoices.
Board members requested the solicitor review the legal status of the land and any RAD-related restrictions before the district remitted funds. The board emphasized the impact on youth sports and volunteer-driven associations if fees remained in place.
