Youth sports groups tell Wenatchee School District new facility fees threaten participation

Representatives of multiple local youth sports organizations urged the Wenatchee School District board March 25 to revisit newly applied facility‑use fees and the district’s billing procedures, saying recent invoices have imposed an unexpected financial burden on families and volunteer‑run programs.

“We had no idea this bill was coming,” said Mike Parrish, president of Greater Wenatchee Youth Soccer Club, describing a spring invoice for district fields that he said exceeded $20,000 and contrasted with smaller fall bills. Parrish said the charges threaten the clubs’ efforts to keep costs low for families and may force reductions in participation.

The concern was echoed by Cindy Abuwamo, who identified herself as registrar for Greater Wenatchee Rec Youth Soccer and president and director of operations for Wenatchee United Youth Soccer. “The new billing system that you guys are using does not allow to put a bunch of information on there,” she said, describing invoices that show only a total without line‑item detail and reservation confirmations that list only a final cost.

Mike Osborne, speaking for Wenatchee FC Youth, said community clubs subsidize access for many families and that fee increases risk those programs’ viability. “In the last 3 years alone, we’ve managed to give away over a hundred thousand dollars in scholarships and waivers,” Osborne said, adding that sudden fee assessments without prior discussion could bankrupt long‑standing nonprofits.

Mark Hamilton, president of the Wenatchee Valley Lacrosse Club, told the board that fees have risen without clear reinvestment in facilities, giving an example he said affected his club: “Last year, we got the Apple Bowl for a hundred dollars for practice. This past fall, we had a bill for $270 for the same amount of time.” Hamilton said the higher charges, combined with persistent field maintenance problems, create fairness and safety concerns.

Speakers described a range of operational problems tied to the district’s facility reservations system: invoices that are not itemized, a reservation workflow that requires clubs to reupload identification and insurance certificates for every request, and inconsistent communication about why charges differ from other jurisdictions such as Eastmont or fees at non‑district fields.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and said they did not want to appear to have been unaware of the impact. Board Director Maria said she was troubled that the changes had not been clearly signaled to the board and asked for more information about how and when fees were adopted. “I don’t feel comfortable, saying that, hey. They tried to sweep something under the rug,” Maria said, urging a review of the process by the appropriate committee.

Board members discussed options for follow‑up. Several directors said the district should provide clearer invoices and better stakeholder communication; one suggested referring the matter to the policy or budget committee for a fuller review. No formal motion to change fee policy was recorded at the March 25 meeting.

Why it matters: Multiple speakers said the fee changes could reduce access to youth sports, particularly for families with multiple children, and that unequal treatment across nearby jurisdictions could push local teams to play outside the district. Board members said they would pursue more information and consider next steps at upcoming meetings.

Board and district staff did not adopt any immediate changes to the fee schedule at the meeting. Directors said they will request documentation from district administration on invoicing, the reservation system settings, and the history of any recent fee schedule changes so the matter can be considered at the committee level and, if needed, on a future board agenda.