Farmington board drops $250 refundable deposit for community teams, shifts to $25 game penalty

The Farmington select board voted to eliminate a proposed $250 refundable deposit for community baseball and softball teams and instead will assess a $25 charge per game for teams the town documents leaving fields in unacceptable condition, a policy change the board approved 3–2 after an extended public comment period and debate.

The proposal, introduced by town recreation staff, had been framed as a tool “to encourage responsibility” and to protect taxpayers from the cost of staff cleanups, the presenter said. “The goal is accountability, not revenue,” she told the board and the dozens of coaches and parents who turned out to speak.

Coaches and volunteers pushed back sharply. “It feels like it is being passed on to baseball as the solution,” said Shane Dudes, a longtime volunteer, arguing the town was transferring a broad community problem onto unpaid coaches and parents. Andrew Wilki, who describes decades of volunteer coaching, warned that a sudden $250 requirement per team would strain leagues that operate on very limited budgets and could force teams to stop playing.

Supporters of a stronger stick pointed to recurring trash and a rat problem at several fields after flooding and said a clear financial penalty was needed to change behavior. Rec staff and some board members argued the town had limited staffing to police and clean fields, and that requiring photo documentation from coaches and staff inspections would help ensure fairness.

Rather than keeping the $250 deposit as proposed, the board approved a motion to replace it with a system that tracks which team was responsible for unacceptable field conditions and applies a $25 assessment per game when the town documents violations; assessments will be tallied at season’s end, with a 30‑day payment window and an appeals process. The board asked staff to use photos and staff checks as evidence and to refine procedures for assessment and appeals.

The change was framed as a compromise by board members who said they wanted to avoid discouraging volunteers while still addressing health and nuisance concerns. One member said the board would revisit the approach if problems continue next season.

What happens next: staff will implement the procedural tracking and documentation described in the new policy (photos, staff logs) and levy assessments at season’s end as needed. The board’s vote replaces the deposit requirement for the 2026 season.

Votes and motions: the motion to drop the $250 deposit and move to the $25 assessed penalty carried 3–2. The board also asked staff to prepare clearer written procedures for how photos and staff reports will be used to assign assessments.

Public records and documents: the rec staff presented prior field invoices and a draft field-use agreement that had been distributed to teams; several public commenters also referenced deeds and a memorandum governing specific fields’ usage.