I read in the Times-Union recently that the city council is considering cutting their annual donation to the CCAC from $31,000 annually to $20,000. This is based on one member’s comment that the CCAC should be "self supporting".
I would like to make a few comments with regard to the CCAC and the City of Warsaw's greatly appreciated contribution amount.
1. Most cities Warsaw's size have an athletic complex of some sort, completely funded by the city as part of their parks department. For the cost of one employee, Warsaw and Kosciusko County get an athletic complex with 8 softball fields, 12 soccer fields, and an indoor facility which is used year round.
2. Prior to the CCAC, the City of Warsaw did maintain softball fields as part of it's parks department. These fields were at Center Lake for men and women, and on Market Street for girls softball. In essence, the fine facility we enjoy today is run with what it cost Warsaw 30 years ago for 3 fields, none of which were anywhere near as nice as what the CCAC offers.
3. The CCAC now employs six full-time employees, 25 seasonal employees, and around 100 sports officials and league supervisors. The CCAC provides opportunities for 30 community service volunteers.
4. The CCAC rents field space to the KCSL soccer league and the various travel soccer leagues. These leagues employ over 50 soccer referees. Over 500 children alone play in the KCSL soccer league.
5. On weekends the fields are full of baseball and softball tournaments. These tournaments result in motels, restaurants, and shopping venues being frequented by the thousands of people who attend to watch or play.
6. The CCAC provides recreation in the form of softball leagues, soccer leagues, flag football, pickleball, tumbling, basketball, cornhole, all of which benefit Kosciusko County residents primarily.
I would respectfully ask the city council to continue fully funding the CCAC.
