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Friday, June 12, 2009
By DEBBIE HALL - Bulletin Staff Writer
The Southern Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority board on Thursday unanimously approved entering into a two-year contract with USA South Soccer, with men’s and women’s tournaments to be held at the Smith River Soccer Complex in 2009 and 2010.
The tournaments will be the first major undertaking for the new complex and could pave the way for others, board members said.
About $10,000 will be invested in preparing for the tournaments, to pay for officials, bleachers, scaffolding, a local banquet and other requirements, according to authority Executive Director Dennis Toney.
However, considering the $12 admission price and concession sales, the authority may recoup a majority of that investment, according to Toney and board discussion.
Toney estimated the tournaments will draw between 400 and 500 athletes. Eight teams will play on Thursdays and Fridays of tournament weekends, he estimated, and four teams will remain on Saturdays.
According to its Web site, the 44-year-old USA South Athletic Conference is comprised of 10 full-member institutions in the North Carolina and Virginia area with a football-only member in Tennessee. The league conducts championships and honors athletes with awards in 14 sports. Its headquarters is in Fayetteville, N.C.
If the arrangement works well for the next two years, the contract may be extended to three years when it comes up for renewal, Toney said.
Thursday’s meeting was the board’s first at the new soccer complex off the U.S. 58 bypass.
In other matters, the board:
• Unveiled a calendar of events that shows that Piedmont Youth Soccer League (PYSL) Recreation and Travel teams will begin using the complex in September.
• Heard a presentation from Richard Hall, who spoke on behalf of Richard Burton of the Piedmont Youth Soccer League.
Hall told board members the PYSL operates on a “shoestring budget,” while other leagues it competes against have paid coaches or directors.
Because the authority’s role is two-fold, to run a self-sustaining facility and promote community involvement in soccer, Hall said, “we need to work to create an organizational infrastructure in soccer” that is on par with the physical infrastructure — the new soccer complex — which he likened to the “Ritz Carlton.”
He asked the board to consider adding a member of PYSL to the authority board. The individual would serve “informally,” if need be, and in an advisory capacity.
Hall also asked the board if it would support PYSL if the league submits a grant proposal to The Harvest Foundation. Hall estimated the league might ask for 1 to 1.5 percent of the complex’s $9.5 million price tag, or around $100,000 to $150,000 to be spent over the next four or five years to help attract and train coaches and other expenses.
When the grant expired, Hall said, PYSL would be in a position “to make money now that we have the ability to use this facility.”
Vice Chairman Jim McGarry said if PYSL plans to submit a proposal to Harvest, “I would strongly suggest this board support it.”
The board took no action after Hall’s comments.
• Approved submitting the dates of Aug. 30 and Aug. 23 to The Harvest Foundation as possible dates for the grand opening.
The complex, including walking trails and picnic shelters, will open to the public on July 1, Toney said.
• Scheduled a special meeting for June 18 to resolve budget details after the proposed $333,889 six-month budget failed to win support from a majority of board members at the meeting.
About $2,000 was shaved from the initial budget proposal of $335,889, when the board voted to eliminate a 2 percent pay raise for Toney and the three other full-time authority staff members.
Some board members questioned the raise and other expenses, including a $2,000 monthly attorney fee and Toney’s $4,000 annual Chatmoss Country Club dues, which the authority pays.
Board member Benny Summerlin, who also is the Henry County administrator, said he thought the 2 percent raise was ill-timed, considering the current economic state and that other governmental employees will not receive increases.
Summerlin made a substitute motion to delete both the pay raise and the dues from the budget.
Other members, including Board Chairman Bob Davis, said the dues are part of Toney’s employment contract so legally, they cannot be eliminated.
During discussions about attorney fees, Summerlin, who also is general manager of the Henry County Public Service Authority (PSA), said that at $2,000 per month, the sports authority pays more per year for legal fees than the PSA.
Board member Ron Epperly’s substitute motion to remove the pay raise but leave the country club fees in the budget passed.
The board then voted on the budget, which Summerlin voted against because, he said, the budget is not sustainable.
Although Summerlin cast the only vote against the budget, the measure did not have the required six votes to pass and will be reconsidered at 4 p.m. June 18 at the sports complex.
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