⚾ Council delays Little League merger
💵 Fee hike from $30 to $125 sparks debate
👶 New committee will study kids’ baseball future
FORT WALTON BEACH — A proposal to merge the city’s youth baseball program with Shalimar Little League drew some debate during Tuesday’s Fort Walton Beach City Council meeting, touching on money, tradition, and access for children before the City Council narrowly voted to delay the partnership.
By a 4–3 margin, the council opted to continue operating as a city-run recreation league for now while forming a committee to evaluate a future merger.
The decision came despite the staff’s recommendation to move forward this year and integrate the city’s players into Shalimar’s larger Little League system.
Recreation Manager Wendy Riggs led the presentation, telling council members the city should not isolate itself from the well-established Little League structure.
“Staff is advocating for the City of Fort Walton Beach to form a partnership with Shalimar Little League, rather than pursuing other options such as staying independent as a recreation league or transitioning to Cal Ripken,” Riggs said. “I believe this merge represents the most beneficial and forward-thinking solution for our community and most importantly, for our children.”
Riggs outlined three benefits: a combined player pool of roughly 700 children, the established administrative infrastructure of Shalimar Little League, and shared financial responsibilities.
“Remaining a recreation-only program, or shifting to Cal Ripken, would isolate us and limit that growth,” Riggs said. “Their ability to manage league logistics would lift a significant burden off the city, while still keeping us actively involved in youth baseball and softball development.”
Under Riggs’ proposal, Shalimar would operate the league this season, paying the city $10–$20 per child to use the Fort Walton Beach fields. Rebranding as “Shalimar–Fort Walton Beach Little League” would follow next season.
“The bottom line,” Riggs said, “we must make decisions that are best for the kids, not to appease adults or preserve outdated systems.”
One of the most contentious issues was cost. Shalimar Little League charged $75 per player last year and will increase to $125 per player. By contrast, Fort Walton Beach’s city league charged $30.
Councilmember Bryce Jeter pressed the issue.
“Now you’re going to have people in Fort Walton Beach that are used to paying $35, they’re now paying $125 and being told we don’t offer baseball here. You have to go to Shalimar,” Jeter said. “I just don’t want to rush into something … when we had a good baseball league last year.”
Shalimar Little League President Ed Hartley acknowledged the jump but noted that Little League International requires insurance and other fees.
To address affordability, Hartley said Shalimar has started a scholarship fund.
“If [the T-Mobile grant] does not come through, it’ll send me an email. I then can reach out to that family and go, what can you pay? … Can I get your kid on this baseball field playing baseball? That’s the ultimate goal. It’s not to price our way out of it,” said Hartley.
Longtime coach Leonardo Matos warned that the higher costs could deter children from participating.
“I had kids this year come to me with no equipment. I went out with out of my own pocket, thrift store, bought a bunch of bats, bunch of gloves, and started giving them out,” Matos said. “I want the numbers to grow, but are they going to grow if people can’t afford it?”
Jeter questioned why the deal needed to happen immediately, to which Hartley replied that this opportunity may not come around again with a new leadership change in Shalimar Little League.
Concessions also proved a sticking point. Hartley said sales at Shalimar’s fields fund the league’s operations.
“The more games I can have in Shalimar, the more money that comes into the league, the cheaper I can drop the price of registration,” he said. That left some councilmembers concerned about revenue at city facilities.
Vice President Jared Farland of Shalimar Little League said the partnership would save the city money on maintenance and equipment.
“We provide bats, catchers’ gear, we provide all that. The city doesn’t have to provide any of that stuff anymore,” he said. “You did make these beautiful fields that are out here. You want them to be used, and the community wants them to be used.”
The council split over whether to follow staff’s advice or take more time.
Councilman Payne Walker said, “It sounds like the experts in the room … have come in and agreed to do something that will benefit us all, and I’ll be supporting the staff’s recommendation.”
Councilman David Schmidt echoed that sentiment, urging residents to trust the city staff.
“There’s hours of collaboration that’s going on … This has been tried for many years. We’re at a time now where it’s here right in front of us, and we can close the deal now,” Schmidt said.
But a majority sided with Jeter. Councilman Logan Browning said more planning was needed: “I think we need to form a committee that spends more time on ironing out these details and brings us back more options other than just this or that.”
Mayor Nic Allegretto clarified that Jeter’s motion “is not to accept staff’s recommendation.”
The motion passed 4–3, with Jeter, Browning, Riley, and Councilwoman Gloria DeBerry in favor of delaying. Walker, Schmidt, and Councilmember Ben Merrell voted against the measure.
The council directed staff to keep running a city recreation league this year while forming a committee to study long-term options. That group is expected to include city officials, Shalimar Little League leaders, coaches, and possibly county representatives.
“This is all about the kids, not a specific name,” Jeter said before the vote. “I think there’s a way to get there. I just think we need to take our time next year and make sure we get this right.”
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
Register or login with Mid Bay News and never get another pop up on our site!
