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City OKs contract with Metro Atlanta adult baseball league Officials also raise rates for use of athletic fields BY CATHY COBBS newsroom@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council voted 6-1 at its Oct. 25 meeting to allow Smyrna-based over35 adult baseball league to share space at Dunwoody Senior Baseball fields. Councilman John Heneghan, who cast the lone dissent, appealed to his fellow council members that allowing the Metro Atlanta Baseball League to use the fields equated to “selling out our valuable field space to outsiders with no ties to our community.” “If we contract with Atlanta Metro Baseball, whom I believe has no direct relationship with our residents, we will not only be hurting Dunwoody Senior Baseball participants, but we will be tying up the field space so that other local organizations and high school sports teams will not have the opportunity to use the fields as much as desired,” Heneghan said. “Metro Atlanta Baseball is based in Smyrna and is comprised of patrons from the entire Atlanta Metro area traveling and playing on various fields where they can get the best deal, whereas Dunwoody Senior Baseball is comprised of
FILE PHOTO
Kevin Smith tosses the first pitch of the season to Nate Cartwright in March as part of the opening day ceremonies at Dunwoody Senior baseball fields. The Dunwoody City Council voted 6-1 at its Oct. 25 meeting to allow a Smyrna-based over-35 adult baseball league to share the space. local Dunwoody residents (as well as Brookhaven, Chamblee and Doraville) playing close to home.” Following Heneghan’s statement, the council passed the item without
further discussion. A representative from MABL was present at the meeting but did not speak. Under terms of the agreement, the Metro Atlanta league will pay the city
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the same hourly rate for use of the fields that is charged Dunwoody Senior Baseball — $20 an hour. Dunwoody Senior Baseball officials opposed the agreement, saying they have plans to create an over-35 league at the fields, which are located on North Peachtree Road. “We are concerned about the future of our league,” said DSB President Jay Kapp, who stepped into the volunteer position in January. “We are in a period of growth where we have a record number of participants. Our fear is that this move will impede our ability to continue to grow our program.” Kapp said he was surprised by the move to add a competing league at the fields. “More than 90 percent of our practices and games are held at these fields,” he said. “We have no other viable permanent alternatives for our program.” In an interview with the Crier prior to the vote, Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Director Brent Walker said that the MABL option was “a good fit” for both the city and its residents. “We are always looking to expand our base of (athletic) offerings in the Dunwoody area, and this was a good fit with those goals,” Walker said. “Howev-
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