The groundhog officially popped it’s head up out of it’s hole already, so it must be time to start thinking about SLOPITCH …

Welcome everyone to the 2010 ball season!!

An email has been sent based on the information I have from last season regarding the upcoming season, so if your team didn’t get the message please let me know so I can update the League Contact List.

Meeting Notification
When: Thursday, February 17th at 7:00 pm.
Where: our usual spot at Knights of Columbus at 84 (the end of) Lewis Rd.

This is our first meeting of the new season at which teams are expected to top up or submit their $200 Performance Bond as a commitment for the coming season. If you have any questions about the status of your bond, just drop me a line or get in touch with Brad Mitchell and we’ll figure it out. We are currently expecting at least 4 new teams for the coming season and we are actually (desperately) hoping to generate some more interest in our Masters Division, so it could be a another good growth year for us.

This is expected to be a busy meeting since we didn’t have a quorum at the AGM in November!

On the agenda:

Constitutional changes not addressed in November

Introduction of our new look Executive

Opening Tournament

League Affiliation

Balls

Budget

Diamonds

The final agenda is yet to be hashed out at our Executive meeting, but this should be plenty to get us started. If you have any questions or comments, or if you’d like to see an item added to the agenda, please let me know as soon as possible.

Please make sure your team is represented.

Good afternoon folks. I hope you are enjoying the rest and looking forward to the new season! The Executive is diligently working on the upcoming season and we need some info…

I would like to CONFIRM that your team is returning for this coming year. I need an email from each team to express their interest. We are looking at possible expansion but want to know what we are working with first.

Please send this to me by Sunday February 7th!

If I have not heard from you by then, I will assume that you are no longer interested in putting a team in the league and your spot will be filled.

Thank you,
Bruce

I got this in my Inbox just before Christmas but held off on reporting about it until I had a better understanding of exactly how it would affect us. I’m not really sure I know now what it’s affect will be, but here goes …

Information Bulletin

To: City of Guelph Outdoor Facility Users
From: Murray Cameron– Manager of Parklands and Greenways
Department: Operations

RE: 2010 Operating Budget

We write to follow up on our information bulletin of November 25, 2009, wherein we advised that Council was considering a number of rate increases in an effort to deal with a difficult budget. We thank those who took the time to appear as a delegation, or to contact the Mayor and Council in this regard.

In preparation for the budget staff restructured our proposed rates and fees, and we are attaching a copy of the new rates and fees with this bulletin. In our view these new rates continue to represent good value and our very competitive with the rates in surrounding communities.

A decrease in the Youth Subsidy from 47.5% to 40% was considered by Council, but was rejected, so approved youth groups will continue to enjoy the youth subsidy throughout 2010.

Please be aware that although these rates come into effect on January 1, 2010, all existing signed contracts will be honoured at the stated rate.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards,

Murray Cameron
Manager
Parklands and Greenways
Operations

Also attached to that message was a Fee Schedule that had some rather disconcerting information.
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