Organizer urges Middleville council to reconsider Spring Park denial for new adult softball league

Derek Brock told the Middleville Village Council on April 28 that his newly formed adult softball league was denied a request for Sunday evening use of Spring Park and asked the council to reconsider.

Brock said the village’s memorandum of agreement granting Middle Youth Athletics (MYA) broad field access has left little room for other community groups. He told council “granting one organization complete and unrestricted access to public facilities funded by taxpayers at the exclusion of other community groups is inequitable,” and said his group had submitted required documentation and insurance while questioning whether MYA had been held to the same standards.

Council members responded that the earlier meeting had left the scheduling question unresolved rather than issuing a firm denial. Several members urged the organizer to provide a clearer schedule and residency documentation so staff can compare field usage and find times that accommodate both groups. One councilmember summarized the council’s stance as a presumption in favor of approval where the details can be aligned: "we should be yes before no," they said, while also noting the group that currently manages the fields is scheduled to use them into late June.

Council staff and members committed to follow up with the organizer to obtain missing materials and to explore whether the village can reconcile both organizations’ needs, including discussing possible rental rates, insurance, and schedule coordination. The council emphasized the need for transparent schedules and suggested convening affected organizations to find workable solutions.