News Concerning The Upcoming Hopewell Youth Baseball 2024 Season

Dear Hopewell Community,

For the 2024 Spring Season the Hopewell Youth Baseball League wants to keep you better informed into all of the progress we have made to help improve our overall program.

This progress comes from a great community and all of you supporting us everyday and we wanted to say Thank You. In an effort to show where all of the hard work from fundraising goes from things like your registration dollars and concession purchases we will be posting our meeting minutes regularly as we continuously meet and make decisions to both enhance the Field Operations and Experience for the Children.

Hopewell Youth Baseball: January 14th, 2024

Opened the Meeting @ 8:17pm; Adjourned at 10:15pm – Municipal Building

​In Attendance: (Carl S., Dave G, Jason G, Nicole E, Jared Reed, Chip H., Russ S., John Lavia)

Uniform Director (Jared Reed)

– Feelers out for competitive Uniform Bids

– Suggested to use sublimated reversible jerseys

– Resigning position at the end of the Spring Season

Treasure (Nicole Erickson)

– Bi-Law change suggestion to have key positions like Treasurer be voted on internally

President (David Gigliotti) – Resigned effective end of Spring Season

– Will open registration for Spring Season – $10 price increase for each age group, ticket Fundraiser same as last year

– Concessions repricing for to compensate for increased costs

– Consolidation should not affect the Kane Road Fields, only impact would come near 2028

– Racoon Extension – 2 more years – 2026, goal to lock down in 2024

– Projected Budgeting for 2024:

1. Uniforms – 10-15k – high end for reversible shirts

2. Fields – Vance Contracting

3. Spring field renovation will be completed prior to Spring Opening

– $3,450 per field

– $1,150 per field for batters box/catchers box

– $6,200 per field x 3 = $20,000

4. Concessions – $1,000 for emergency repairs

5. Barrier for dirt holding area/bases/base plugs/mound/base posts at the pony field -$1,000

6. Racoon – More material on pony field, mound needs to be rebuilt back up, new bench, dugout work, metal roofing =$3,300

7. Paint bathrooms- Remove paper towel dispensers and containers to store paper towels- estimates needed, toilet seals

needed – $4,000

8. Upgrade Speaker System – tabled for future discussions- estimates needed – $2,000

-Insurance Live as of 7/28 – recommend renewal next year for 7/28/2024

Vice President (Russ Seech) – Confirmed as VP

Concrete barrier for dirt holding area

​Concessions/Parking – (Stacy Ritchart)

Remote note submission:

-Creation of committee of Stacy plus 3-4 others by March. We will start to clean stand then.

-Square screen in at my house to keep safe from weather

-Prices and items will be reviewed in March – with square purchase, this will help us with inventory management and having to shop less.

-Water pallet purchase suggested and passed by board, storage in shed

-Resigning position at the end of Spring, working on successor

-Mike Smetana has the laptop – its needs updated, and he will have ready for season

-Sponsor requests need to be sent by EOM

Secretary (Carl Santamaria) –

– Positions voting/confirmation of new positions – Confirmed all positions listed on these meetings notes

– Insurance Reminder new company by June – Confirmed

– Prioritize Upgrade List – added two items to the list, bathrooms and speaker system

Field Director (Jason George) – Jason George confirmed as new position holder

Field Director II – BJ Ranking Confirmed

Umpires– (Open Position) – Chip in Interim

Equipment Manager/Umpires (Chip Hoffman)

-Need mound removed from LL and new rubber

– Hang WPIAL Sign – we will install two posts and hang by the flagpole facing entrance

Player Manager – (Brian Mancos) – N/A

Director of Grants/Fundraising Director – John Lavia – Confirmed to this role