To the editor:

The front page article in the Feb. 27 edition stated that there were no other towns in R.I. that charge field fees.  Could it be perhaps that the participants that use other town’s fields have more innovative and collaborative ways of maintaining the upkeep of their league fields themselves? It seems that this was suggested in the article.  For example as stated, Pawtucket charges fees for outside organizations to use their fields. West Greenwich has a line item in the budget for $1000.00 for their fields but, in exchange volunteers are expected to participate in the maintenance of those fields such as lining and raking the field and etcetera. In Johnston the football program donates $1000.00 because the town picks up the trash after the games. And the article states that in some cases leagues make capital investments to upgrade fields in various ways for more costly investments.

If we, meaning the town; are appropriating money to pay for the school system fields, it seems that various other leagues outside of this could do more to maintain and repair their league fields for the privilege of using those fields.

Possibly this could be an answer to field fees. It is all in the team work.

Barbara Flanders

Barrington