DeBary council approves three-year facility-use renewal with Babe Ruth League

The City of DeBary on Monday approved a one-year facility-use agreement with two annual renewals for the DeBary Babe Ruth League, continuing a long-standing partnership between the city and the youth baseball organization.

Parks and Recreation Director Jason Scheitz told the council the new agreement follows a completed three-year term and would start with "a 1 year term and then 2 annual renewals," and recommended the council approve it. Joe Zubel, president of the Babe Ruth League, described an active volunteer board and operations that the league said will support more than 800 participants this spring.

Zubel highlighted recent league contributions to city facilities, saying the league gave "$63,000 towards the new dugouts at Bill Cutler Park" and has "$30,000 available for a future project" intended for dugouts at Rob Sullivan Park. He also described a new league supervision plan to staff on-site supervisors and a financial assistance program for players in need; he said about "17 kids get scholarships this year, including $100 gift cards to Academy Sports."

Council members asked detailed questions about vendors, parking and field supervision. Scheitz and Zubel said vendors will primarily offer food and beverages and that vendor agreements include a 20% revenue share to support projects. The league said it fields roughly 70 teams (about 48 baseball and 22 softball teams) and that Saturday schedules can place roughly 36 games across six fields.

Council member Stevenson moved to approve the agreement as presented; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll-call vote. No public participation was recorded for this agenda item.

The agreement continues the city's collaboration with the league and preserves the league's capital contributions pending future budget approvals; the projects Zubel referenced will be considered through the city's capital or budget process.