Township, Sports Clubs Moving Forward on Sponsorships
Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Greg Gallo said he expects a resolution to the long-delayed field improvement project at Wesley Bishop North in the near future.
Once the Moorestown athletic clubs get their sponsorship program off the ground, they may be able to keep a portion of the money they raise.
After dropping off the council agenda for the last couple months, township manager Scott Carew provided an update Monday, telling council he would soon be meeting with the various sports clubs soon to devise a “menu” that could be provided to potential sponsors.
Carew credited the volunteers who have worked on putting the sponsorship program together and told council, “It would be fair, in the first year, to let the clubs take 25 percent of what they raise (to use) as they see fit,” while the rest of the money would go to the township.
Ultimately of course, it’s up to council. Deputy Mayor Greg Gallo, who led Monday’s meeting in Mayor John Button’s absence, didn’t come down one way or another on Carew’s suggestion, but said a sponsorship program is “long overdue. We should have been doing sponsorships for years … There was just a prior perspective (in previous administrations) that folks just didn’t want to go that route.”
Back in April, the Moorestown Youth Baseball Federation (MYBF) and the Moorestown Lacrosse Club (MLC) reported they would be able to secure sponsorships in the amount of $72,500 and $45,000/year for 10 years, respectively.
Recreation Department director Theresa Miller, who has also been working with Carew and the clubs, declined to say whether those numbers have increased, but said the clubs are “still very interested and very willing to participate.”
The sponsorship commitments reported by MYBF and MLC were to be used toward the athletic fields improvement project, which has been on a hiatus since the township received a letter at the end of May threatening a lawsuit if council moved forward with plans to use the Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund to pay for field improvements at Wesley Bishop North.
Council has not discussed the project since, but Gallo anticipates the issue will “come to a head soon.”
“For a topic like that, we certainly want to try to have full attendance,” he said, noting the last few council meetings have seen one or two members of council absent. “I certainly want to resolve it.”
Lenola Rules
7:48 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Don't start bringing that signage to this part of town , we don't need it. Other than McDonalds and our new flowers that we placed recently, it look pretty bad.
Remember you need a variance or a change in the zoning by the council to allow these sponsor signs to fly
all over town. Do you really think this will sit well with the appearance committee. Or better yet the zoning board.
It's all about money and not about our town. What's next the idea of placing turf field down in the open area next to mcdonalds? A putting green, right? How much of the open space monies you want to use for that?
Ed Nice
10:27 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Stop it! You are making me laugh. Isnt Jordan behind this idea and she is BFF with the Chair of the zoning board so why isn't it a good thing there Lenola Ruler? Are you and the diehard reps now opposed to this? Maybe advertising for the town mahal is on the horizon instead because we know we can't stand any more tax increases right. LOL!!!
Ginger Hayes
6:58 am on Friday, July 13, 2012
L.R. The sponsor signs wil be at the athletic fields. I think McDonalds is safe.
Ed. Let's get a group to sue the twp for NOT making OS money available. It's our $ too and it's just sitting there!!! I'm currently in Md for a lax tournament. Last weekend in New Egypt NJ. Not only are our fields/facilities embarrassing but we are missing out on opportunities to hold these types of tournaments which bring in tens of Thousands of $. The money goes to small business/vendors as well as the clubs.
For the record. I have one year left for my youngest to play club. This fight isn't about me or my kids but the future of all of the kids/all sports/all levels in this town.
NO NEW LIBRARY! Fix the fields!
HomeBrew
1:57 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Ginger complains of "embarrassing" field conditions. But, if conditions are so bad, why wouldn't the clubs want 100 percent of sponsorship money to go to field upkeep? I thought fixing and maintaining fields was problem no. 1 for the clubs? I don't understand why they wouldn't want to put as much money as possible towards fields.
Also, how much revenue does a lacrosse tournament generate? A baseball tournament? Has Moorestown ever had one? How much did they "earn"? Will tournament "proceeds" be used for fixing and maintaining fields, or will the clubs keep the money?
Also, what exactly is a sponsorship? Is it a sign on the fence, or is it more than that?
snake eyes
10:02 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
FYI homebrewer, there was a locrosse tournament a couple of months ago held at the high school fields NOT Wesley Bishop field. There are no turf fields there, so it appears that these type of lacrosse events do not need turf fields be successful. The tournament turned out to be a "success" and the tour buses came into town stopping at the various pizza locations bringing in a good business for town merchants.
btw- i've heard ginger, that on the town complex/library plan "the train has left the station". Are you a critic that would rather see a rehabbed library instead?
Ed Nice
10:33 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Ginger dont worry about Homebrew. Everyone knows the maintenance of the fields is horrible and the taxpayers are gettin fleeced but being asked to take care of it anyway while the other groups get the free pass for new buildings. Of course new taxes for town mahal are ok just not for fields right HB?!
HomeBrew
10:48 am on Sunday, July 15, 2012
If fields are "an embarrassment" and maintenance is "horrible," then why don't clubs want all sponsorship proceeds to go to upkeep? What's more important than that?
Jeff
6:59 am on Friday, July 13, 2012
Mayor Button was absent? Is this guy really running or just trying to play spoiler? I already got a knock on my door from one of the Republicans. I saw Dem and Rep candidates at 4th of July parade, but nobody from Buttons team. He doesnt even have a website!
Observer
5:39 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Some say the Buttons are moving . Will they even be here in Nov.?
snake eyes
10:09 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
hey observer, want to key us in on where that rumor is going? Did button say something to someone? Perhaps Jeff and Observer are passing tales around, or are they on to something? If i took chances on this, I'd bet with the Jeff and Observer team. Could this be the next poll we take? No sign of that indy team doing anything. Is Button's running mates too, just placeholders? Perhaps he is just taking the summer off and won't start his "campaigning" until Sept? Any thoughts?
Donnerstag
10:27 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Look my people, going to be perfectly honest here,ok?
A man needs some r and r , right? It is the summer and in my case it's time to slow it down a notch. This election campaign does put a thrill up my leg, but I must confess, you haven't seen nothing yet! Time will tell. What are your plans this summer? Summer campaigning, really? Already we hear a special meeting soon? Are you kidding me? This is summer, let's deal with it when that time comes. You really think knocking in doors in the heat will sway any voters? Join me, and chill out the summer and relax. Enjoy!
snake eyes
2:34 pm on Sunday, July 15, 2012
donnerstager, you need to face the fact that I know the Republicans are going knocking already. What does relaxing and running a campaign mean? means you certainly won't sway any voters your way. If you are who you seem to be, then be "honest" and answer Jeff and "observer" questions/statements.
btw- when is this "special meeting" ?
Ed Nice
10:28 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Hey Homebrew dont we already pay taxes for maintenance and dont forget the open space maintenance money and then the clubs pay even more for maintenance. If only town mahal supporters would show up with some fundraising or maintenance we could call it even. Any word on the bake sales or library fundraising efforts to match what the clubs do or have offered? Are the library book sales gonna pay for the $15 million building? What do your DHreps have to say about tax fairness?
HomeBrew
11:33 am on Sunday, July 15, 2012
Anyone notice that the 2012 budget proposes spending nearly $500K from OS fund for "Maintenance of Lands for Recreation and Conservation"? Nearly $400K of the proposed spending is for "Other Expenses," not salaries.
In 2011, township spent $360K from OS fund for maintenance (when OS funds were used for engineering, etc., for KIDS), $188K in 2010, and $17K in 2009. Looks like a trend.
Haven't heard an explanation for the proposed hefty increase in use of OS fund or what it's to be spent on. Maybe we'll find out when council meets July 23 for a public hearing on the budget.
Here's budget links. OS fund is second-to-last page in each document.
http://www.moorestown.nj.us/filestorage/207/243/249/2260/466/2012_Municipal_Budget.pdf
http://www.moorestown.nj.us/filestorage/207/243/249/2260/466/2011_Municipal_Budget.pdf
http://www.moorestown.nj.us/filestorage/207/243/249/2260/466/2010_Adopted_Municipal_Budget.pdf
Strawbridge Lake Dam Fan
2:17 pm on Sunday, July 15, 2012
Well what will it be, use the os funds for the dams or not?
HomeBrew
6:51 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Syn-turf Alert: Resolution authorizing $1.5M from OS fund for syn-turf field at WBNorth on July 23 Council agenda. Classic Friday dump. Read it and weep.
http://www.moorestown.nj.us/filestorage/207/154/2143/488/3250/2012_07_23_agenda.pdf
Observer
12:16 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
There are 2 resolutions on the agenda for the 23rd that could use about 2M from Open Space Funds for synturf, etc. The purchase of the Hess Farm is only costing the town 1/2 M to preseve 42 acres. If council takes the slated 2M, will there even be enough left to complete the Hess purchase?
HomeBrew
1:33 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
I don't see the proposed $1.5M for WBNorth syn-turf in the 2012 budget. http://www.moorestown.nj.us/filestorage/207/243/249/2260/466/2012_Municipal_Budget.pdf (p58)
BTW, council also will be voting on 2012 muni budget Monday night. (You know, the budget that they dithered so long on that the state threatened fines.) Boy, the council majority sure gets busy when everyone in town is away on vacation.
HomeBrew
12:26 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
We've been wrangling over a second $1M+ syn-turf field at WBNorth for more than a year and a half. But, after all this time, we still have no hard dollar amounts for club contributions and sponsorships. Strange.
We can only hope that responsible members of council will nail down those dollar amounts before voting July 23 on a resolution to spend $1.5M from the OS fund for WB syn-turf.
HomeBrew
2:02 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
Respectfully, I suggest council hear from club representatives Monday night. How much, in hard dollar amounts, are they willing to contribute to WBNorth syn-turf? Given the enormous project cost, do they really believe they should keep 25 percent of any sponsorship money? If so, why? Do they and their membership support using OS funds for a second $1M+ syn turf field at WBNorth?
HomeBrew
8:40 am on Monday, July 23, 2012
Syn-turf Alert: Will Lame Ducks loot $1.5M from OS fund for second syn-turf field at WBNorth? Find out at tonight's council meeting,7:30pm, MHS. www.moorestown.nj.us/filestorage/207/154/2143/488/3250/2012_07_23_agenda.pdf
Are you lonely?
9:00 am on Monday, July 23, 2012
aw whats wong homebrew? are you lonely, posting 6 of the last 8 messages with nobody responding? poor homebrew, drifting off into the land of irrelevancy