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Council adopts one-year Little League facility agreement with phased fee plan and Challenger exemptions
Summary
The council approved a one-year facility-use agreement with St. Cloud Little League that implements a phased fee model: a $150 per-team base fee plus $25 per nonresident participant for 2026, waives fees for Challenger League teams this year, and allows property owners paying city ad valorem taxes to qualify for resident rates.
On Jan. 15 the St. Cloud City Council adopted a one-year facility-use agreement with St. Cloud Little League (Resolution 2026-011R) that phases in higher facility fees and adds a nonresident surcharge while providing specific exemptions for the Challenger League.
Stephanie Holkamp, Parks and Recreation director, presented staff’s recommended fee model and the underlying cost analysis. She said the city’s annual cost to maintain all fields at the Civic Center Complex is about $392,408 and that Little League accounts for roughly 1,100 hours of field use annually (about 60% of total field usage). Staff proposed replacing the long-standing $5-per-player fee with a $150-per-team flat fee plus an additional nonresident participant charge intended to shift more of the maintenance burden to users who do not pay city ad valorem taxes.
Holkamp said the proposed three-year phase-in could be implemented as a stepped schedule; staff and league representatives discussed a step-up approach in which 2026 would be the first-year transition. Little League President Danielle Momenteller urged a cautious transition, saying the program “cannot afford an increase of this magnitude” and asking for a one-year contract to evaluate the impacts rather than a multiyear lock-in. Parents and league volunteers described uniforms, travel and Little League International fees as additional costs that make abrupt increases difficult for families.
Council members proposed and the council agreed to a one-year agreement for 2026 with these modifications: a $150 per-team base fee, a $25 per nonresident participant per season for non-city residents (nonresident surcharge applies per season), a waiver of any new fees for Challenger League teams/participants for this year, and language to allow city real-property owners who pay ad valorem taxes to qualify for the resident rate. Deputy Mayor Mary Gilbert moved the motion and Council member Fletcher seconded. The motion passed unanimously (5-0).
Council and staff also directed a workshop and follow-up with Little League to refine verification processes for resident status, consider administrative workflows for collection and verification of addresses, and explore options for sponsorships or city collection of resident fees to reduce administrative burden on the league.
