Housing Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ira Hobson has backed down on that plan to increase park usage fees to $3,200 from $600 for the season for local baseball and softball leagues.
Karl Callwood, executive director of the Susthens Vialet Softball League, told Radio One Sports over the weekend that "based on a meeting we had with Commissioner Hobson," fees will "stay the same as last year."
Hobson himself confirmed to the radio station Monday that "no fees will be changed for 1999," that is, for the next three months. Further, he said, "Anything for the youth, I am going to waive the fees, period — this year and every year."
As justification for the announced increases, the department had cited electricity and maintenance costs averaging $1,900 a month for the Emile Griffith Ballpark alone. League officials had countered that if the increases were implemented, they would have no choice but to cancel their seasons.
Sen. George Goodwin, chair of the Senate Housing, Parks and Recreation Committee, had voiced strong opposition to the huge fee hikes, terming "an increase of this magnitude . . . totally unfair and unacceptable."
At the beginning of September, Goodwin called on Hobson to rescind the increases "until they are approved by the governor." Further, the senator said, before it even considers increasing fees, the department "needs to address the deteriorated condition of the baseball fields on St. Thomas."
Hobson used the term "relax" on Monday to describe the action he subsequently decided to take, stating, "I have decided to relax the fees."
He took credit for having lighting installed at "most of the parks" and said work was planned for several parks on St. Croix as well as at the park in Smith Bay on St. Thomas.
The moratorium on fee increases is temporary, he said, and the department will re-evaluate the matter for the year 2000. "We all have got to come together, to work together," he said, noting that his department budget has been slashed to $5.4 million from $9.5 million since he became commissioner. He said he will aggressively seek private-sector partnering in the department's adopt-a-park program, especially among hotels and restaurants.