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Message
BRSA & Chris Mitchell.. What's the deal?
Posted on 3/1/11 at 1:32 pm
Posted on 3/1/11 at 1:32 pm
Saw the article on 2theadvocate and got the email from Gary Buete?
What is the real story?
What is the real story?
Posted on 3/1/11 at 1:48 pm to yaherrdme
For the uninitiated....
Here's the link to the article:
Advocate Article
Here's Gary's reply. I hope he doesn't mind it broadcast in a public forum. He sent to all BRSA member's so I'd guess not.
March 1, 2011
I think LFC's availability to schedule on the NICE fields that my tax dollars AND $80-90 per season (X 4 seasons per year) go to, should be directly proportional to what they're paying into the system.
If they aren't paying anything in, and want to schedule into them because they're "public," I say:
Here's the link to the article:
Advocate Article
Here's Gary's reply. I hope he doesn't mind it broadcast in a public forum. He sent to all BRSA member's so I'd guess not.
March 1, 2011
quote:
Last week (Thursday, Feb. 24), The Advocate published an article about use of the soccer fields at Burbank and Independence, and the desire of a Lafayette-based club to schedule their “home games” at either site. If you missed it, the full article can be found on The Advocate’s website at https://www.2theadvocate.com/news/BREC-hears-soccer-dispute.html.
I want to give you some insight that helps explain why, to date, the Baton Rouge Soccer Association has not scheduled “home games” for the Lafayette Futbol Club at these two Baton Rouge sites in which we control the scheduling. Hopefully, the following points outline the long-standing partnership between us and BREC.
• In April 2006 Baton Rouge Soccer Association (BRSA) and BREC entered into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement that 1) designated BRSA as BREC’s provider of soccer activities to the East Baton Rouge Community, and 2) allowed BRSA to become the scheduler of soccer matches/tournaments and other uses of the Burbank and Independence facilities.
• BRSA has made a direct cash contribution of $750,000 to the BREC Foundation. These funds have been used by BREC to offset construction costs for recent upgrades to the complex, including the construction of the 10 new fields at Burbank
• BRSA has contributed in excess of $250,000 in in-kind and cash contributions to the site (lighting and lighting automation, electrical upgrades, and lightening detection system).
• All goals, nets, corner flags, benches, paint for modified fields, and staff to maintain are all incurred by BRSA. The costs for the goals and nets alone exceeded $110,000.
• BRSA is fully responsible for paying the monthly bill to Entergy for all electricity used at the Burbank complex.
• BRSA is responsible for, and incurs the costs for scheduling officials for all matches held at the complex.
• BRSA is working with BREC to implement a plan to minimize overuse of the fields in order to maintain the integrity of the turf at the sites.
As you can see, the commitment of our membership has allowed us to become the strongest financial partner in the community with BREC (no other organization has made a greater financial contribution). In return, BREC has designated us as their exclusive provider of soccer programming at these sites. This is a commitment we take seriously.
This commitment is evident in several other areas. For example, we provide outreach and education to underserved citizens of EBR Parish including establishing leagues for children with disabilities, a partnership with I CARE, and efforts to work with other community-based organizations to introduce soccer to minority and economically-disadvantaged citizens. We also provide scholarships to deserving individual and families that are facing financial difficulties.
I can proudly say that no other organization brings this level of commitment to both soccer and to the local community as does our club. We will continue this leadership by working with BREC, and other organizations to ensure that all of our partners and those involved with soccer are treated fairly and with transparency.
In regard to the Lafayette Futbol Club, we have not yet scheduled their “home games” at either facility for several reasons; 1) They already have access to “home” fields in Lafayette, 2) BREC has provided them game fields at other BREC parks, and 3) The LFC has secured a large site at Kenilworth Middle School. This approach to facilities for LFC was approved by both a BREC subcommittee and the full Commission last year.
Nonetheless, in the coming weeks, we will meet with BREC to further define our roles and responsibilities, and to, again, address this issue. Our goal is to resolve it in a manner that upholds our commitment to our members and which honors our partnership with BREC and the citizens of our community.
Sincerely,
Gary Buete - Executive Director
Bob Johannessen - President
I think LFC's availability to schedule on the NICE fields that my tax dollars AND $80-90 per season (X 4 seasons per year) go to, should be directly proportional to what they're paying into the system.
If they aren't paying anything in, and want to schedule into them because they're "public," I say:
Posted on 3/1/11 at 1:53 pm to Sheep
I got all that... what is Mitchell's beef with BRSA?
Posted on 3/1/11 at 1:59 pm to yaherrdme
he used to work for BRSA, seems he left under not so pleasant circumstances.
Posted on 3/1/11 at 2:00 pm to yaherrdme
Do they really not have any good fields in Lafayette?
Posted on 3/1/11 at 2:01 pm to yaherrdme
No idea. Just wanted to give non-BRSA members a heads up.
It sounds like a dick measuring contest that got out of hand to me.
It sounds like a dick measuring contest that got out of hand to me.
Posted on 3/1/11 at 2:07 pm to NOTORlOUSD
quote:
Do they really not have any good fields in Lafayette?
It really has nothing to do with Lafayette.. apparently Chris Mitchell, left BRSA for some reason, started his own soccer stuff, the "affiliated" with the Lafayette club to become "eligible" for the state tournament without having to wait a year... (also the lafayette club he is affiliating with , I think broke from the Lafayette version of BRSA at some point for some reason)
Just trying to figure out what caused the break and if he has any valid argument.
Posted on 3/1/11 at 2:39 pm to yaherrdme
Is there really even a story here? Sounds like Mitchell wants to use fields BRSA operates. If so, they have every right to deny him use, I would imagine.
Posted on 3/1/11 at 2:43 pm to Stewie Griffin
quote:
Is there really even a story here?
You're the journalist. You tell us.
Posted on 3/1/11 at 2:46 pm to Sheep
More of a rhetorical question way of saying "there's no story here"
But no.
But no.
Posted on 3/1/11 at 2:47 pm to Stewie Griffin
Well, let me rephrase, there's a story, but it's certainly not newsworthy.
This post was edited on 3/1/11 at 7:01 pm
Posted on 3/1/11 at 3:38 pm to NOTORlOUSD
quote:
Do they really not have any good fields in Lafayette?
i do not know anything about this issue, but lafayette has moore park. cajun soccer club uses those.
lfc is a smaller club and uses fields in random arse places, iirc.
Posted on 3/1/11 at 6:43 pm to Stewie Griffin
They are not BRSA fields. They are BREC fields, owned by the EBR taxpayers. BRSA is acting on behalf of BREC via the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement. In addition, BRSA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization required to promote the public health, education, welfare, etc. in order to remain tax-exempt. So, you have 2 issues at play:
(1) The politics of BREC giving BRSA a monopoly on PUBLIC parks. BREC can vote override BRSA's decision on the issue.
(2) Whether BRSA is furthering its tax-exempt purpose by preventing a competing soccer association from using the PUBLIC fields. You could argue BRSA is using its position to benefit only a narrow class of citizens--those who pay membership fees to it--which would be private inurement and jeopardize their tax-exempt status. That would be fine if BRSA were a social club, but it's not.
Not really a crystal clear issue. If BRSA and the fields were privately-owned, then sure BRSA can do as it pleases. However, that is not the case.
(1) The politics of BREC giving BRSA a monopoly on PUBLIC parks. BREC can vote override BRSA's decision on the issue.
(2) Whether BRSA is furthering its tax-exempt purpose by preventing a competing soccer association from using the PUBLIC fields. You could argue BRSA is using its position to benefit only a narrow class of citizens--those who pay membership fees to it--which would be private inurement and jeopardize their tax-exempt status. That would be fine if BRSA were a social club, but it's not.
Not really a crystal clear issue. If BRSA and the fields were privately-owned, then sure BRSA can do as it pleases. However, that is not the case.
This post was edited on 3/1/11 at 6:51 pm
Posted on 3/1/11 at 6:57 pm to BrandNew
Hey now. Good stuff. I knew I shouldn't trust my lazy journalistic senses. I prefer when stories are handed into my lap.
Posted on 3/1/11 at 9:26 pm to Stewie Griffin
Several years ago, there was a fight between my team and another and one of the guys on my team had his arm broken in the melee. BRSA's disciplinary board, or whatever it's called, asked us how such a situation could be avoided in the future. I recommended calling the police, and they said that was not an option because it would draw negative attention and jeopardize their deal with BREC. That left a bad taste in my mouth. The fact that BRSA charged fees to buy land and construct their own fields and never lowered fees after they struck their deal with BREC for the Burbank fields didn't help either.
This post was edited on 3/2/11 at 9:35 pm
Posted on 3/2/11 at 7:50 am to BrandNew
quote:
Lafayette-based club
quote:
owned by the EBR taxpayers
Does not compute.
The reply even states that the LAFAYETTE BASED CLUB can use any number of BREC parks.
Just not the ones that BRSA and its PAYING MEMBERS which number in the 1000s of adults, and god knows how many kids paid to build and continue to pay to maintain.
BRSA does many shitty, disorganized things, and I've had issues with the disciplinary council as well...
But I maintain my stance from before. Your ability to use the SOCCER fields should be directly proportional to what you pay in as an EBR tax paying entity.
I imagine that a LAFAYETTE club probably pays somewhere around 0% EBR taxes.
They can STFU and GTFO, in my opinion.
Posted on 3/2/11 at 8:11 am to Sheep
quote:
But I maintain my stance from before. Your ability to use the SOCCER fields should be directly proportional to what you pay in as an EBR tax paying entity.
My understanding is some of the teams in Lafayette Futbol Club are from Baton Rouge--presumably those are the ones wanting to use the fields--and they just broke off from BRSA. Thus, you have EBR taxpayers on those teams. In addition, not all BRSA teams are based on Baton Rouge and are EBR taxpayers, yet they are permitted to use the fields if they pay BRSA. Finally, BRSA is NOT a taxpaying entity.
ETA: FTR record I share you general sentiment but I also think BRSA needs some scrutiny from outside parties because their board of directors and officers are designed to be self perpetuating such that no one new can have a say. You should read BRSA's bylaws. They are on the BRSA website.
This post was edited on 3/2/11 at 8:44 am
Posted on 3/2/11 at 8:41 am to BrandNew
quote:
Finally, BRSA is NOT a taxpaying entity.
Yeah. I get that.
But BRSA pays into (and by pays into, I mean, probably pays the majority of the upkeep of) the system.
I'm not a big fan of the Messicans rooting up the same fields I pay to play on either, because I'm sure their contribution to the field upkeep is somewhere between 0% and 0.0%.
It really does seem cut and dry to me.
A. Live in EBR, want to play on the fields that BRSA maintains? Pay BRSA for the privilege.
B. Don't want to pay BRSA? No worries. Play at one of the umpteen other public soccer fields in the parish.
LSU students don't get to play basketball in the PMAC, even though (I'm sure) some portion of thier tuition goes to its upkeep. They can play at the rec center.
I'm a taxpayer. Does that mean I can mosey over to Burbank park, and set up a BMX track on field 5?
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