Message from General Manager Adam Schierholz
September 26, 2002 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Haven Ravens News Release
Item #1:
The Ravens are organizing the first ever Ravens Booster Club! Come and be a part of it! Our first organizational meeting will be held on Monday, October 7th, at 5:30 pm at the Ravens Front Office. We will meet briefly to share ideas on the different functions and sub-committees that can possibly be created (Host Family and Player Relations, Stadium Improvements, Season Ticket Holder Action Committee, Sales Committee, etc.), get to know each other, and then head over to the West Haven City Council Meeting for the purposes outlined below. Anyone interested please come on Monday, no advance notice is necessary. Please come on time so we can head over to the City Council Meeting by 6:30 pm.
Item #2:
For the past four years the New Haven Ravens have been pleading with the West Haven city government to rectify the situation whereby West Haven has been charging the Ravens Real Estate Taxes for the improvements and subsequent added value that were made to Yale Field for the Ravens in 1994. Of the 130 other Minor League Baseball Teams in the country, the Ravens are the only team that is charged Real Estate Taxes. In the past six months significant progress has been made in bringing this situation to the West Haven City Council's attention and onto their agenda. Off the record, both Mayor Borer and City Council Chairmen Jimmy Morrissey have been supportive of the Ravens' request to have the taxes abated. They recognize that we seek simply to be put on a level playing field with all other Minor League teams.
On Wednesday, October 2nd at 6:30 pm at the West Haven City Hall, 3rd floor City Council Chambers meeting room, a special session will be held for the Ravens to brief the City Council further on the issue and our request. The people representing the Ravens (me, Baseball Foundation of Connecticut Treasurer Susan Godshall, and possibly a Yale representative) will be the only members of the public allowed to speak -- however, anyone can attend. This is a crucial issue for the Ravens. Having as many Ravens fans as possible show up showing their support simply by their presence (preferably in Ravens garb) would certainly bolster our cause.
Following the special session, on Monday, October 7th, at 7:00 pm at the same City Hall 3rd floor Council Chambers meeting room, the West Haven City Council will have its regular meeting at which the vote for the abatement will take place. 7:00 pm starts the "Public Session" at which anyone in attendance can voice his/her opinion on any issue. It is ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE that we flood the room with as many Ravens fans as possible, again wearing Ravens garb. Please be ready to voice your opinion on how valuable the Ravens are to the community, both from a quality of life perspective and also, much more importantly, from an economic perspective. For everyone's edification, a copy of the bulk of the presentation which will be made on October 2nd, which contains the economic issues and value of the Ravens (namely, pumping $8.5 million into the local economy annually, having employed over 400 West Haven residents, having paid out over $1.2 million to them in wages, having paid out over $470,000 to the West Haven police, and over $80,000 to the Allingtown Fire District, and over $110,000 in Personal Property Taxes, to name some) is available in Powerpoint format by e-mailing me (adam.schierholz@ravens.com).
Hopefully you will be available on both of these dates to help your Ravens. It is especially important for you to attend if you are a West Haven resident, as those voices will weigh the most in this issue. If you can only make it to one of the events, the Monday, October 7th meeting is the more important one. It is the meeting in which you can speak, and when the vote will be held. So please mark these dates, times, and places: Wednesday, October 2nd, 6:30 pm West Haven City Council Special Session West Haven City Hall
Monday, October 7th, 5:30 pm
Ravens Booster Club Inaugural Meeting
Ravens Front Office
Monday, October 7th, 7:00 pm
West Haven City Council Meeting (Vote on Ravens Tax Abatement)
West Haven City Hall
The Ravens thank you. Step by step and together, we can create a better situation for our franchise to flourish, and for your enjoyment of it to increase.
Adam Schierholz
General Manager
New Haven Ravens
adam.schierholz@ravens.com
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Eastern League Stories from September 26, 2002
- Message from General Manager Adam Schierholz - New Haven Ravens
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
