A representative of the team argued that the team was a non profit organization and qualified for field time in town.
Much of Mt. Laurel Council’s meeting last week was spent discussing public access to the township’s athletic fields and facilities.
Resident Robert Dunn argued the township had improperly denied his request for six hours a week on a field for the New Jersey Diamond 10u softball team he coaches.
To that point, Dunn, team players and many members of the team’s 11 families sat in solidarity at the meeting while Dunn spoke on their behalf.
According to Dunn, the township denied his request on the grounds the team was a for-profit entity, which Dunn argued was not the case.
As Mayor Dennis Riley would outline several times during the discussion, the township ordinance governing access to the township’s fields states the township only allows nonprofits to use fields and facilities.
Dunn acknowledged the ordinance, but said while the New Jersey Diamond Academy that sponsors and provides a workout facility for the team is a for-profit entity, the team itself is registered with the state as a nonprofit organization.
“We are a separate legal entity from New Jersey Diamond Academy LLC. You have to distinguish from the team and the facility,” Dunn said.
Council asked if Dunn could provide paperwork proving the team’s status as a non-profit, and Dunn said he could.
Yet the discussion didn’t stop there, as Dunn pressed council on whether the team’s status as a for-profit or nonprofit entity was the only issue preventing the team from playing on a Mt. Laurel field.
Members of council said the township couldn’t make any final determination for Dunn’s request until he submitted the requested paperwork. However, several council members did question why the team and its members chose to operate outside of Mt. Laurel Softball.
“If you were to carve off, you have to get your own line, you have to get your own bases and you have to get your own equipment. If you go through Mt. Laurel Softball, everything is provided for you,” Councilmember Kurt Folcher said.
Dunn said the families of the team were free to chose to be a part of a private origination separate from Mt. Laurel Softball, although he did note Mt. Laurel Softball had chose not to pursue a proposal to have the Diamond team form a travel team within the Mt. Laurel Softball.
“The sentiment that we should have to break these girls apart or have them leave somewhere where they have decided the want to be — I don’t see the logic there. It’s a choice,” Dunn said.
Austin Craley, a member of the Mt. Laurel Softball board, said the board voted against that proposal due to the board feeling too many travel teams can dilute a recreation league.
Craley said if the Diamond team is granted permission to play on township fields, the team was welcome to apply for field time with the Mt. Laurel Softball. However, Craley did say first priority would still most likely go to in-town teams that are paying to be a part of the Mt. Laurel Softball organization.
“We fill those team slots first, and then if there’s any outside teams that want to still have field time, whatever field time is left, we definitely have available,” Craley said.
