Field fees would put soccer club out of business, BTSA prez says

BRICK TOWNSHIP — One local soccer organization is crying foul over a proposed Board of Education policy that would impose rental fees for the use of its athletic fields.

"The money you want to charge us will put us out of business," Ben DeVizio, president of the Brick Township Soccer Association (BTSA), told the Board of Education on Oct. 23. "We are on a shoestring budget."

If adopted, the Board of Education's Community Use of School Facilities Policy would require the BTSA to pay $35 per field, per game plus a $5 cost recovery fee per field per hour to use the grounds behind Veterans Memorial Elementary School.

DeVizio said last week that the fees would cost the BTSA approximately $4,500 per week, which translates to an additional $100,000 for the league's spring and fall seasons.

"It's astronomical," said DeVizio. "We just couldn't operate. After 37 years, we'd have to shut down."

DeVizio said that in order to foot the bill, the BTSA, which serves 1,000 children, would have to triple the fees it charges to play in the league.

"It's just not possible," he said.

DeVizio said that instead of paying the higher fees, the players would just leave the BTSA and play for the township's other soccer league, Twin County Soccer Association.

Because Twin County plays at the Drum Point Sports Complex, which is owned and operated by Brick Township, they would not be subject to the Board of Education's fees.

"How can you charge one segment of the population, and the other segment pays nothing?" DeVizio asked. "We didn't choose to play at Vets. The township said that we have to play there."

DeVizio said he understands that the board needs to charge fees for the use of the district's indoor facilities to recoup the cost of custodial services and electricity, but the BTSA maintains the fields it plays on at no cost to the district.

"All they do is cut the grass, which they have to do anyway," DeVizio said last week. "We purchased $1,700 worth of grass seed over the last two years and bought $1,000 worth of sprinkler heads because there was no money in the grounds budget."

DeVizio said that the organization lines its own fields and supplies its own goals and nets. Following the games, the BTSA cleans up the fields, picks up any trash and puts the garbage cans out to the curb for pickup.

"We police ourselves," he said. "We don't use the buildings. We don't use any lights."

DeVizio said that in addition to maintaining the fields it plays on, the BTSA also gives back to the community in other ways, including awarding scholarships to high school seniors.

"Our kids are the ones achieving the goals you want," he told the board.

Tim Puglisi, president of the Brick Township Education Association, urged the board to waive the field usage fees.

"It's flat-out wrong," he said. "We're not losing money on the fields. There's no custodial fees or lighting."

Puglisi said the board should only charge a fee if there was damage to a field.

He also cautioned board members about what losing an organization like the BTSA would do to the children and the community.

"I know we're in tough economic times, but it's going to cost you 20 times over if these kids get in trouble," he said.

Board President Daniel Woska said that district officials will meet with the township to discuss the situation.