Time is running out for anyone wanting to register their kids for the upcoming Douglas Little League season.

Little League season is due to start shortly and DLL officials report the numbers are way down this year

Several people have questioned the $90 signup fee and have made some inaccurate assumptions about the increase.

DLL officials say the increase went up from $55 to $60. That increase was due to the cost of the insurance going up plus the District 8 dues.

“In the past we were charged $250 by District 8,” DLL president Bruce Whetten said. “Now were being charged $3 per kid which means if we have 200 kids in Little League this year we’re paying $600, 300 kids means were paying $900. That’s a significant increase and we have to pay it if we want to be a part of District 8.”

The one thing that is also being done differently this year is parents are being asked to pre-purchase five carne asada tickets valued at $6 each. Those tickets can either be re-sold with the families keeping the money or they can keep the tickets.

“Because of the financial hole the league has been put in this year it is necessary for us to pre-sell the carne asada tickets,” Whetten said. “This was something that had to be done.”

Whetten adds the DLL board understands times are hard right now and the economy is in a tough spot but the league is also in a very difficult predicament as the city has told the league there is no money this year and the league could be asked to pay for use of the lights next year meaning an even higher increase in registration fees could be coming.

“We started the year with two dollars and some cents in our budget and over $2,000 in outstanding bills,” Whetten said. “We’re still trying to clean up the financial mess from last year.”

The registration fee can be paid in payments. All the board is requesting the fee be paid in full before opening day.

There have been public meetings held every month since September and few parents if any, have showed up.

“Yet we seem to be drawing criticism for something that we are trying to fix,” Whetten said. “If you want to criticize then get involved – serve on the board, be a volunteer, show up to the public meetings.”

The league is still in need of player agents for the majors and juniors divisions. Coaches are needed as well plus volunteer umpires.

“We haven’t had the response this year like we’ve had in the past either,” Whetten said. “In most years all our coaching spots and player agent spots would be filled by now. We still have a lot of openings available.”

In previous years the league would pay umpires and scorekeepers adding an additional hit to the budget. This year the league is hoping to save money by having volunteer umpires and scorekeepers

“We want to keep costs down; we’re trying to keep costs down but it’s hard with everything going up,” Whetten said. “If anyone has any suggestions we’d like to hear them.”