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Brainerd Community Action pitches banner program; baseball group offers to buy scoreboards
Summary
Brainerd Community Action proposed a consistent banner program to funnel sponsorship funds back to specific amenities; the Brainerd Baxter Baseball Association offered to pay about $24,00090$25,000 for four new scoreboards and to apply banners to those fields as part of fundraising.
Dave Badeau, executive director of Brainerd Community Action, presented a proposal Dec. 17 to overhaul the city—9s banner program so sponsorship revenue is tied directly to the amenities those banners support.
Badeau told the Park Board that the Brainerd Baxter Baseball Association has offered to purchase and install four new scoreboards for youth baseball fields at an estimated cost of about $24,00090$25,000, and that the association would like fundraising from banners on those fields to be dedicated to that amenity. Badeau said the association—9s offer would cover scoreboard cost "completely for the city." He described a model in which Community Action would incubate amenity-specific associations and manage a consistent visual and operational template for banners so funds raised are set aside by amenity.
Badeau described the nonprofit—9s role and the economics of his proposal, saying Community Action would need to recoup a small administrative percentage: "we would have to recoup some kind of percentage off of this, probably 2, 3%." He emphasized a desire for consistent materials, appearance, and asset-specific accounting so donors know their contributions support the amenity they select.
Board members asked practical questions about city oversight and contingencies if a group buys scoreboards but then does not run banners. Badeau said the park board should retain authority to set regulations and review outcomes and suggested the city keep funds in amenity-specific accounts until an association is identified to manage them.
The board agreed to form a small work group with staff, a board liaison and Community Action to draft a boilerplate policy and identify candidate amenities to pilot the program (baseball first, then pickleball and others). The group will return recommendations to the Park Board for review and possible adoption.
Next steps: a work group will be formed to outline banner standards, identify pilot amenities, define fund accounting procedures and report back to the Park Board.
