Pingree Grove tables two field licenses, approves Northwest Little League contract

Trustees voted to approve a 2024 recreational license agreement with Northwest Little League and to table two other proposed field-license agreements while staff mediates scheduling and maintenance issues.

The board approved the Northwest Little League agreement after representatives described a 250-athlete program that provides much of the volunteer maintenance for local fields. Nikki Kingclaire, speaking for Northwest Little League, said the group fields 11 baseball teams, 8 softball teams and 8 tee-ball teams and uses four Cambridge fields, two Parkside fields and three Racco fields; she said volunteers handle grass cutting and infield prep.

Several competing organizations asked the board for additional Field 5 access. Dan Niemeyer, representing the Outlaws, requested Monday use to accommodate four teams that struggle to find field time. Nick Rodriguez, representing Dog House/Bison, said he and volunteers have maintained Field 5 for roughly a decade—cutting grass and preparing infields—and asked for scheduling consistent with historical access, arguing his group’s investment in maintenance made the request fair.

Trustees expressed concern that two groups were in direct conflict over Field 5 and urged the parties to meet. Staff (Andy) offered to facilitate a meeting in the coming weeks to seek an agreement; if the groups cannot resolve the conflict, the village will make the allocation decision. The board voted to table the Outlaws and Dog House/Bison agreements pending that facilitated meeting and approved the Northwest Little League agreement in a separate roll-call vote.

The board’s action preserves current volunteer-maintained arrangements while asking staff to develop a clearer long-term policy on field allocation and whether non-profit status or maintenance contribution should influence licensing decisions. Andy said staff will reach out to both organizations and to trustees for specific feedback on long-term policy.

The board’s next steps: staff will convene the parties for a scheduling/maintenance negotiation; if no agreement emerges, trustees retained authority to decide field time allocation. The board did not adopt new written allocation rules at this meeting.