Ballfield Lease Issued to PBSA

Plum Borough Council and the Plum Baseball & Softball Association are putting the finishing touches on the preparation for the spring baseball season.

Councilman Mike Doyle said on Monday that council and the PBSA are determining a time frame for the lease on eight ballfields along Ross Hollow Road.

The group is ready to take over the baseball/softball program in the borough. A already have been scheduled to occur in March.

Borough officials also will file a complaint in Common Pleas Court in response to an appeal filed by the Plum Borough Athletic Association—it previously ran the borough's baseball/softball program—regarding its lease termination. In January, Plum District Magistrate Linda Zucco ruled the PBAA had agreement with the borough.

, PBAA president Bob Schmidt said the PBAA does not have intentions to get in the way of the new baseball/softball season, but needed more time to inventory assets, remove them from the field and then lawfully distribute them, following guidelines set by the Attorney General's office, which oversees nonprofit organizations.

Doyle said the borough offered to let the PBAA officers continue to work on the inventory of assets for a period of one year. However, the organization has not withdrawn the appeal yet.

Jim Gilbroy, treasurer of the PBSA, said the last few months have "been emotional" for many families in the borough. He thanked the families, volunteers and supporters for continuing to weather the storm.

"Now is the time to come together," he said.

Councilman Mike Dell said the PBSA has the support of many in the community, as well as the businesses.

"There's a lot of support behind you," he said.

Doyle said he's happy to see some progress.

"I'm looking forward to moving forward," he said. "I said from the beginning that the kids wouldn't miss a pitch, and it looks as though we are moving toward the end."