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TOPIC: meeting |
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| Smitty77
March 9, 2010
6:24:31 PM
Entry #: 3411294
| MEETING RESULTS 3/8/2010
The meeting was poorly attended.
-The basis of the meeting was to deliver a message from the Town. All of the presidents of the seventeen leagues that operate in Coventry met last Monday night with the Parks and Rec. Department. The Town informed us of the increasing demand for fields and the need to serve residents first.
-At this time, the Town is instituting field charges for the use of the fields. Fields have been free to everyone until now. The field usage fee is minimal it will probably only cost us $400-$800 dollars. The fees are based on resident groups and non-resident groups.
-We have to turn in rosters this year with addresses. They will be examining all of the leagues and the make up of the rosters to see who is a resident and who is not. The survey that is on the website was for me to gather information on the membership of our league. Please take the survey if you haven't and encourage your teammates to take it if you have.
-Once again, alcohol was brought up. The Parks and Recreation Dept. picks up the trash barrels located at the fields. WE CAN NOT BE DRINKING AT THE FIELDS AND WE CAN NOT BE FILLING TRASH BARRELS WITH EMPTIES.
-It is important that we do not give the town ANY REASON TO QUESTION OUR LEAGUE.
-THIS MEANS WE CAN NOT USE THE FIELDS UNTIL THEY ARE APPROVED ON APRIL 1ST.
-WE CAN NOT SPEED THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS.
-WE CAN NOT DRINK AT FIELDS.
-WE CAN NOT PARK ON THE ROAD AT FLAT RIVER.
-WE CAN NOT TELL THE FIELD SUPERVISOR TO SEND GUY A MESSAGE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL CAUSE ALL OF US MAJOR PROBLEMS.
DUE SOME NEW DEADLINES FROM THE TOWN, OUR NEXT MEETING IS MARCH 29. AT THIS MEETING, 15 WAIVERS MUST BE TURNED IN AND 15 PLAYERS MUST BE PAID FOR. ADDITIONAL PLAYERS CAN BE ADDED UP TO APRIL 12.
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| Ryno34
March 10, 2010
10:42:32 AM
Entry #: 3411956
| Do all of the leagues have to pay a fee to use fields or are we being singled out? What does this non resident stuff mean? Are we going to get fucked when high school kids party on Saturday night and load up town trash cans? Why did the league put so much effort into kissing the towns ass the last couple of years cleaning up fields like Hunters only to continue to get further bullshit from the town.
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| DeMonti
March 10, 2010
12:25:09 PM
Entry #: 3412083
| easy ryno, because the guys who run the league are a bunch of sackless pussies who dont stand up for their rites as tax paying citizens and allow other appointed officials to dictate their rites for them, period.
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| vern11
March 10, 2010
1:04:48 PM
Entry #: 3412125
| i'm sure it was brought up, but i hope someone asked.. if there is gonna be a fee now,is parks and recreation gonna actually take care of the fields?(plant some seed and maybe put down some screened loom)played in enough fields throughout the state to say coventry has the worst fields.
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| iWitch-hunt
March 10, 2010
1:20:39 PM
Entry #: 3412144
| Jesus christ if nothing else, for $800 they could dump a pile of dirt, our field Wash Oak, gets flooded horrible by the morning dew, and the batters box would make 6'5" player look like Eddy Martin. The town is making money off the softball community, people in charge turn their heads and do not take responsibility for this, maybe the fields aren't actually generating $$, but the local venders are making a lot of money from the players. Go to any bar on a Sunday, pretty dead, go their in 2 monthsfull of softball guys. Cmon powers that be open your eyes, look outside the box. Where the hell do all the tax dollars go??
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| DeMonti
March 10, 2010
3:56:25 PM
Entry #: 3412291
| good questions guys, and i apologize to the guys who run the league, after further thought it seems my frustration lies with the town politicians more than any thing else, they have way to much authority and use it to their advantage way to often and its very frustrating to say the least.
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| LB4LB.
March 10, 2010
5:25:11 PM
Entry #: 3412413
| wait a minute....old demonti, then new demonti? Whats going on here? That was a quick reversal. I applaud Michael for apparently researching the conflict in a little more detail and making an appropriate SMACK retraction. While the league officials are pussies for many reasons....none of the reasons are because of they are being pushed around by the Town. The Town is lacking funds..they are charging the little league for using the LIGHTS for christs sake...and, I expect that we will get no extra benefits for paying a field use fee...prob less. We are lucky we have four decent mature guys and some excellent coaches that are willing to spend countless and thankless hours running our league....I mean it. Thanks to Ian. Thanks to Josh. Thanks to Jeff . Thanks to Kevin. And thanks to Demo...our little menace is growing up right before our eyes. Sleezak..you should be ashamed.
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| D Train
March 10, 2010
10:20:46 PM
Entry #: 3412759
| It is an unfortunate reality that cities and towns throughout the state have no money. City and town governments are poorly run businesses. After dealing with Providence as a business manager for the past six years, the fact is taxpayers and business owners lose.
After taking the survey, it occurred to me that we are important contributors without being nuisances. We need a stronger voice at town meetings to make this clear, however this takes time and I believe the officers of our league already put a lot of time into making sure our league is successful.
Regarding government my white flag is tattered and torn from waving it so much, I am a bitter fuck! All we can do is deal with it. If it gets out of hand, it's time for a revolution!
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| Gopher
March 10, 2010
10:23:14 PM
Entry #: 3412764
| Ian,
If we were to not pay a field fee, are they saying that they have other events on a list to use the field's during the time we need then or is it just because money is short?
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| Smitty77
March 11, 2010
12:08:42 AM
Entry #: 3412838
| Apparently I'm not being clear.
-Last year five leagues were charged $1,200 each for the use of fields. We are being charged $5.00 per day that we use fields. We have submitted the usual permits for fields with the usual practice times and game schedules. Every league is being charged for their primary field and being GIVEN the rest. So Foster is the field we use the most, WED. SAT. and SUN. That will be considered our primary field and we will be charged $5 per day as a resident group. That is we will be charged $15 per week multiplied by the 15+ weeks of summer and we are looking at around $300.
If we are considered a non-resident group, then it would be $10 per day which would increase costs.
Gopher, REALLY? If we don't pay, we don't get the permits approved.
-WE ARE NOT BEING SINGLED OUT. THIS SIGN IS POSTED AT ALL FIELDS:
At Foster, the sign is accompanied with chicken wire tied over the gates denying access.
At Hunters, two concrete blocks were dropped at the end of the driveway with a chain tied between them, denying access.
I'm told the chicken wire can be found at several other fields as well.
It is not that the softball league isn't allowed. NO ONE IS ALLOWED.
JOSH AND I ARE POSTING AS WARNINGS TO ALL OF YOU.
WE CAN'T STOP ANY ONE OF YOU FROM CLIMBING A FENCE, TRESPASSING, AND ILLEGALLY GETTING YOUR BATTING PRACTICE.
BUT WE CAN PASS THE INFORMATION ALONG AND LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE TESTING PEOPLE.
WE WON'T WIN A FIGHT WITH THE TOWN. I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO TRY AND WIN THE FIGHT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'LL WIN.
BUT WHY DON'T WE, AS A WHOLE, JUST COOPERATE AND AVOID THE FIGHT AND ALL NEGATIVE ATTENTION.
-I know some of you hit at Fish Hill last weekend. I know there were little kids there playing soccer with their parents. They are not supposed to be there either and if the police come to solve the problem I imagine they will be much more forgiving of the family kicking a soccer ball than they will of the adult men getting their b.p.
-I also know there was alcohol at the field which is illegal and will further damage the reputation of the league.
-I KNOW THE SITUATION SUCKS. BUT....
1. NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO DO ON SUNDAYS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER...... SUCKS MORE.
2. TRYING TO GET A ROSTER SPOT IN WARWICK BECAUSE COVENTRY SUNDAY MORNING IS OVER...SUCKS MORE
3. DRIVING TO WARWICK EVER....SUCKS MORE
-Finally, we are not asking you to do us a favor.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO DO YOURSELF A FAVOR.
AND HODDE HAS GRACIOUSLY OFFERED CLUB JOGUES TO ANYONE WHO WANTS IT AT ANY TIME. ALL THEY ARE ASKING IS THAT YOU CALL HIM AND LET HIM KNOW YOU'D LIKE THE FIELD.
HIS NUMBER IS 623-7293
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| antmansour
March 11, 2010
6:38:59 AM
Entry #: 3412903
| Wow $15 a week, thats outrageous! Those fields better look like fenway this year for that kind of Money!
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| E W 3 3
March 11, 2010
7:43:41 AM
Entry #: 3412928
| I could care less about this anymore. Let's just simply drive to any of the other 38 cities/towns in the state and use their free fields. West Warwick has the old babe ruth field that is down behind amby smith field. You can get there by parking at the crompton vets parking lot. It's a much bigger field than club jogues and you dont have to worry Hodde about busting windshields. I also know that warwick fields are free to use. They have city park and a whole bunch of other fields and no fees or hassles are usually given unless there is alcohol involved.
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| Stevens 4
March 11, 2010
8:54:13 AM
Entry #: 3412971
| I don't remember any alcohol at the field...of course, I don't remember anything after about 11:30 am....
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| Ryno34
March 11, 2010
9:23:32 AM
Entry #: 3413000
| I was at City Park yesterday and it was nearly empty on a beautiful day. I am sure everyone can find some time for BP there.
I propose that we take that fee, or at least a good chunk of it, and put it towards the business of the many lanscapers we have in this league to cut and groom the fields on Saturdays. Get some quotes from Rob Raymond, Eddie Martin, DelPadre, the Mansours and others. This would relieve the town of having to dedicate as much manpower to field maintenance. They could then re-deploy those workers to more pressing needs. And it would also help support some local businessmen who are surely struggling in the current economic climate. And finally it would ensure that we are playing on fields that AT LEAST have the grass cut.
Pitch that to the town as an alternative.
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| guapo
March 11, 2010
9:32:44 AM
Entry #: 3413017
| It's the same story here in Cranston that it is in Coventry. I coach recreational softball and we also are not allowed on the fields until April 1. They don't have a huge hard on like Coventry does about it as the field is in plain sight and kids are always on them, but as a league we cannot use them. It really sucks for us because except for mowing the grass, we are completely responsible for getting them ready for play. We have even paid out of pocket to have dirt/clay brought in when rocks began to come through the infields. It is very odd that with all the money we as a league bring into the city that they chose to make a huge deal out of this, but like Ian said there is really nothing we can do about it. It's sad though that a few guys (or kids for that matter) can't find an open field on a 60 degree day and hit some balls.
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| Stevens 4
March 11, 2010
9:45:42 AM
Entry #: 3413027
| Let me go on record as favoring spending the afternoon drinking at Crowe over going to the field on Saturday. Imagine if you guys had listened to me...none of this would have happened. I hope that next time I ask everyone to spend a sunny, 60 degree Saturday belly up to the bar you will listen!!!!
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| kenfo69
March 11, 2010
10:28:22 AM
Entry #: 3413087
| its been the same in Warwick as most towns for a while. no permits til April 1st and all leagues are asked to cooperate in keeping teams off the fields before then.
and that's with paying $350.00-400.00 per team a year...so for this league to only pay that for the whole league is not making a whole lot of $$ for the town of Coventry. sounds like they should be charging what others charge to have decent fields to play on.
maybe take ryno's advice and have teams put in a fraction of that into a private league fund and have your own put some into the fields and still come out way ahead.
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| iWitch-hunt
March 11, 2010
11:52:05 AM
Entry #: 3413194
| Warwick also lines their entire fields and grooms them each day. That alone would justify the higher fees. Today I saw some of the hard work town employees working on the brige at Lake Tiogue, their were six of them. One in the truck on Cell, two holding shovels standing still, one talking, and one actually working, with no less than 5 vehicles there! I'm sure I caught them on coffee break, as I drove past at 40mph, purely coincidental. It's never gonna change, but to make guys suffer is what hurts. The town is hurting financially as is most of the softball community, softball is a retreat for most of us. It truely is unfortunate that it has to be an added stress for the league officials
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| DUTILLY
March 11, 2010
12:20:07 PM
Entry #: 3413224
| This is simple....Stay of the freaken fields until april first......its very easy...everyone of u guys suck at softball and all the practice in the world will never help any of you.....Smitty doesnt need the agrivation especially with dealing with botelho everday trying to steal his future wife......speaking of botelho, maybe he needs to step up here and purchase the fields from the town.....then he will be able to do whatever he wants ...like move the fence in at nike site so hes got a chance to hit a home run.......and i didnt mean everyone sucked.....KIRBY WAS GOOD BACK IN THE EARLY 70"S
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| LB4LB.
March 11, 2010
1:37:14 PM
Entry #: 3413326
| I was only going to purchase 12 Remington Farm Drive . Lesniak, Smith, Wright, Dutilly, Duffy, Macdonald, Considine, Tainsh, Brodeur, Edwards, Keenan, Vernet, Galloway, Ryno,Johnstone, Dolan, Stevens, Lemme, Sevigny, Gaccione, Amoroso, Rounds, Machado, Malikowski, ...and many others , all clients..nobody besides maybe Scotty Crowe benefits from Coventry Softball more than I do. This year..the field fee is on me. I wont even ask for anything special for myself like shorter left field fence at Nike Site or more katiebear alone time. Well, I DO want one thing..Sleezaks business.
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| DeMonti
March 11, 2010
1:38:33 PM
Entry #: 3413328
| hey dute, speaking of sucking, i hear you suck a mean cock with your less then par set of chicklets you toothless fuck!
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| E W 3 3
March 11, 2010
10:15:17 PM
Entry #: 3413991
| They are definitely less than par. If I could only get his wife to knock one more out (after all she did knock the other two out when he gave her some lip) then it would be a perfect fit. Two gone chafes but 3 gone would be niiiiiiiice.
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| Ant6377
March 12, 2010
11:33:55 AM
Entry #: 3414378
| My kids play ball in this town also and have to practice indoors prior to april 1. The bottom line is mens and womens softball is a nuisance to Guy. If he had the only say we wouldn't have any fields at all and to be honest the town council could care less about the $$$ we bring into coventry on sundays. Think about this who would the town rather get rid of a mens softball league made up of a majority of out of towners or a kids leage that has two voters per kid. So even though i think Guy is a dick who thinks the world revolves around him they do have us by the balls. Additionally even though it is legal to park on the road at Flat River past the field i won't bring any unneeded stress to the league.
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| Lags
March 12, 2010
11:51:40 AM
Entry #: 3414393
| dutilly is a cock-mongrel !!!!
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| iWitch-hunt
March 12, 2010
12:18:31 PM
Entry #: 3414427
| Quite possible this is the phrase of the year...cock-mongrel
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| Unclemertog
March 13, 2010
4:24:57 AM
Entry #: 3415068
| Okay firstly I would like to give all my "Once-A-Week-MFers'" a shout out! I missed all of you and the witty banter of "SMACK", here on the finest sports website in Coventry!
In addition I would like to remind you all this is still brought to you FREE of charge by our good friend and fearless leader Mr. Ian Smith. (Whom I lovingly refer to as El Presidente)Yes there are still some things that are free and worthwhile in todays frugal economy!
Now call me a raving lunatic (and many of you have) but I'm not sure what all the commotion is about at this point in time. It seems clear to me that there really isn't much new about what the Town is saying in as much as usage of the fields is concerned.
1. The NO DRINKING RULE is nothing new, and this shouldn't be a problem. There is plenty of time to drink six days out of seven elsewhere. And...if you feel obliged to drink after the games..(as many of us are)simply do it at your favorite establishment, or home...or anywhere else you feel comfortable drinking....just don't do it at the ball field and fuck shit up for everyone else.
2. USAGE of FILEDS: No big deal here either. Break down and buy some time at the batting cages of your choice or wait until the fields open up again. Is this really so fucking hard???
3. As for the residency shit that is being tossed around...my only issue is that the town needs to be aware that there are still MANY RESIDENTS in the league and without outsiders to participate in the league...the residents won't be able to have a league and thus NO ONE WINS! The local business community (namely bars, liquor stores, and convenience stores lose out on business) and it is doubtful that they will actually be able to fill all those locations with other events. This is not to say that the town itself cares whether the fields are in use or not, if they are not being used it simply saves them money on upkeep.
In conclusion it is not wise to piss off the town at this point because the bottom line is nothing more than a money issue and it would be far cheaper for the town to just say such services are canceled due to lack of funding. Sometimes it truly is better to walk away then fight a losing battle, discretion is the better part of valor in this case and knowing which battles to fight and which to walk away from is certainly the key to survival in some instances.
Thats all I got for now, forgive me I have been extremely busy, stressed and short of time to come up with anything better...this shall have to suffice for now.
Oh and Ernie you are still gay!
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| LB4LB.
March 13, 2010
10:53:10 AM
Entry #: 3415140
| like rain in the desert. Thanks for checking in Mert.
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| Stevens 4
March 13, 2010
11:54:49 AM
Entry #: 3415170
| If we hadn't gone and used the fields last weekend Ian wouldn't have made it rain this weekend. I think the verbal request was sufficient to keep us off town fields....turn off the water.
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| t- man
March 13, 2010
10:19:22 PM
Entry #: 3415431
| Brian you bad boy! Batting practice outside is so much better than a batting cage because you can field also. Batting practice will help, but determination will go further.
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| E W 3 3
March 14, 2010
3:03:31 AM
Entry #: 3415495
| Mertog, like i tell my wife. Sit there shut the fuck up and just look pretty. The hardest part for you will be the latter.
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| Unclemertog
March 20, 2010
10:32:41 PM
Entry #: 3421071
| Ernie....and like I tell my wife: "Zip the lip unless you want a fresh one across the snot locker"
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| Ryno34
March 31, 2010
5:41:52 PM
Entry #: 3431340
| Anyone want to take BP on the fields tomorrow?
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| Mark Yehle
March 31, 2010
7:27:58 PM
Entry #: 3431441
| Mertdog, I will miss you greatly after my excommunication from my team.
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