04-06-2004 CC RPT 15 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-. - , . . ~ .J' ,"~..... . . J f! : Y '* .. llJJ :~. os. . :~~Pd.. ..~ ~ lT~~ ..(._~_.'._.!"-"... C Received at meeting of: . Date: q- (p -() ~ CITY OF RIVERSIDE Item No.: /5 INTEROFFICE MEMO People Serving People TO: George A. Caravalho City Manager DATE: April 6, 2004 FROM: Troy Brown Assistant to the City Manager SUBJECT: EVANS PARK LITTLE LEAGUE - FIELD USAGE DISPUTE The City of Riverside entered into a twenty-five year (25) Joint Use Agreement ("JUA") with Riverside Community College District (RCCD) in August 1985, to share the use of approximately twelve (12) acres on the northerly side of Magnolia Avenue, east of Terracina Avenue. The area was developed to include a boys baseball field, a girls softball field and a Pony Little League field; collectively hereafter referred to as the "Complex." Other amenities on site also include a concession stand. The JUA required the City to contribute $225,000 toward development costs for the project. Further terms require the City to reimburse RCC maintenance costs for a Groundskeeper position, and pay 50% of utility fees. The City has also funded the installation of lights for night play at the Complex. Per the terms of the JUA, the City is allowed to reserve 50% of the time available at the Complex. Evans Park Little League has used the girls softball field at the complex for many years. The organization uses the facility for their games, which begin at 7:00 p.m. during the spring. Recently, it has come to staff's attention that Evans Park Little League teams have not been able to take the field until 6:30 p.m., even though staff had reserved the field for this organization's games from 6:15 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April to June 2004. Staff had also reserved the field for the entire month of July 2004, to allow time for Evans Park Little League to hold All Star games in the City of Riverside. RCCD has informed the City that their girls softball program now runs daily from 3:00 p,m. to 7:00 p.m. and they have been exiting the field at 6:30 p.m. to conduct batting practice in the batting cages directly adjacent to the softball field. This information was not communicated to the City in a timely mariner to provide for proactive scheduling on the City's part to avoid this conflict. Additionally, the girls softball coach and the Evans Park Little League President have had several verbal altercations at the Complex. Staff in the Park and Recreation Department convened a meeting with RCC staff regarding this matter on Friday, April 1. The result of that meeting yielded very little results in rescheduling programs to accommodate the groups. I met with Dr. Linda Lacy, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs, to discuss the matter further and attempt to reach final resolution. Through this meeting, RCC has agreed to install a gate on the other side of their batting cage so the girls' softball team will not interfere with Evans Park Little League when they enter the cage. RCCD has agreed to exit the field promptly by 6:30 p.m. on days that Evans