Volunteer sports groups urge Williamson County to ease burden of Safe STARS-linked use agreement
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Summary
Volunteer-run youth sports organizations told the Parks & Recreation Committee that a new limited-use agreement, updated to comply with Tennessee's Safe STARS law, places heavy administrative and liability burdens on small clubs and volunteers; county legal said the liability allocation is largely unchanged but staff has negotiated clarifying language.
Several volunteer youth-sports representatives told the Williamson County Parks & Recreation Committee on Jan. 6 that a revised facilities-use agreement tied to Tennessee's Safe STARS law is too burdensome for small, volunteer-run organizations.
"The contract's very heavy handed," Charles McConnell of East Williamson Athletics told the committee, saying it shifts personal risk to volunteers and could threaten small clubs that lack staff and legal resources. "It's gonna put a tremendous strain on our organization, our coaches, our other volunteers." (Charles McConnell, East Williamson Athletics.)
Why it matters: county parks serve as the primary venue for local youth sports. Small volunteer organizations said the new agreement and the state-directed Safe STARS requirements have expanded the written obligations from a brief three-page form to a much longer document that volunteers find difficult to navigate and absorb without counsel.
County legal responded that the Safe STARS elements stem from state law and that the county is not able to assume liability for other organizations. "The liability language is actually the same language from the year before," the county attorney said, adding she had worked with associations to clarify portions of the agreement so organizations are only responsible for their own activities. (County legal counsel, speaker 11.)
Volunteer leaders described the negotiation timeline: associations were notified in spring that Safe STARS language would be added; Parks and legal met with associations in September; associations say earlier redlines were not accepted and that at one point they were told the terms were "non-negotiable," which prompted emails and public concern. Jonathan, identified as a volunteer director of baseball for East Williamson, said the longer agreement and the enhanced administrative requirements are discouraging volunteer coaches. "This makes me want to get out," he said. (Jonathan, director of baseball.)
What the county says: Parks staff and several commissioners urged the clubs to sign for the coming season to avoid interruptions in registration and programming, while committing to revisit the agreements next year. Commissioner Clifford and other commissioners proposed exploring county-level support (policy or resolution) to help small organizations and, if necessary, a formal appeal or request to state legislators to consider exemptions for very small volunteer groups.
Next steps: Parks staff said associations will be given time to implement the new agreements this year, staff will collect feedback during the season, and the commission will consider policy options or state-level advocacy before the next season.
The committee did not take formal action on changing the agreement during the meeting; Parks staff and legal said they will continue negotiations and collect association input for refinements ahead of next year.
