By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWarrenton city officials have agreed to refund the $45 fee to those who participated in the Jr. Warriors youth basketball league.The decision was made by aldermen after a discussion about the issues that were encountered in the program’s first year at the April 15 board meeting.Aldermen voted 5-1 to refund the entire fee amount. Ward 3 Alderman Jim Dreyer cast the lone dissenting vote, saying he preferred the refund to be half of the $45 fee.The total amount the city will refund will be around $5,355.“It has not been a good experience for everyone involved,” Recreation Director Dottie Phillips told the board.Roughly 120 kids, boys and girls in grades second through sixth, signed up to participate in the league, according to Phillips.Participants were supposed to have weekly practices and games over six weeks. However, schedules were changed multiple times and cancellations were made with little notice, Phillips explained.The city spent around $4,551 for the basketball program. Of that amount, $1,600 was used to purchase adjustable basketball goals that apparently were never used, Phillips said.The city had reached an agreement with the Warren County R-III School District to use its facilities for the program. Once the agreement was finalized, the school district requested that its basketball coaching staff be used as volunteer coaches in the league.Several times information that was given to parents by school district staff was different than what was provided by the recreation department, according to Phillips.She said she would receive three to five phone calls each day fielding complaints about the program. Phillips said multiple attempts were made to address the problems. City officials agreed refunds were necessary.“End of the day, parents aren’t getting what they bought,” Ward 2 Alderman Karen Casserly said.Ward 2 Alderman Gary Auch later added, “I think we need to run it the right way and give a good product. If the product is not what it should be, we can talk about whose fault it is, (but) we need to hold the standard up. If that standard is not up, then we need to give refunds.”City officials indicated the decision to refund the participation fee doesn’t mean the program will go away.“I think this is a program the community wants,” Phillips said. “We need to reconsider how we can do it next year.”
Ryan Shaw passed away at the age of 43 on Aug. 21. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Fulton High School gymnasium at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 29. Shaw had coached varsity boys basketball at Fulton for the last three seasons.
