HISTORY:
Danny Berry has established and administered a Youth Baseball Program for Miami Beach residents and visitors ages 3-13 at North Shore Park since 2015. Mr. Berry has 31 years of experience coaching youth baseball and is well respected within the South Florida baseball community. Danny Berry Baseball provides the ideal setting for a youngster’s initiation into the national pastime in a “No Pressure” fun filled atmosphere.
The Danny Berry Baseball program has been one of the fastest growing programs offered through the Parks and Recreation Department. During the 2015 winter inaugural season Danny Berry Baseball consisted of 145 participants, 14 teams and 42 volunteer coaches. Every season the number of teams, coaches and volunteer participation has continued to grow. At the culmination of the fall 2017 baseball season the program has grown to 215 participants, 20 teams, and 70 volunteer coaches, with the winter 2018 season anticipating 23 teams.
With participants having access to baseball fields and batting cages, the growth of the program has established the need for other practice and game locations outside of North Shore Park. During the fall 2017 season Fairway and Normandy Isle Park hosted the program and potential games are set to occur at Flamingo and Polo Park during winter 2018 to assist with the growing demand for field space. In the winter 2018 season growth is expected at the 11-13 year old Major’s Division with the hopes of building this Division and essentially creating a Middle School League to be a feeder program for the Miami Beach Senior High Baseball Program.
Currently the Danny Berry Baseball Program and the City of Miami Beach have entered into a Professional Services Agreement which began on January 1st 2018 and ends on May 31, 2018 (Exhibit A). In consideration for the services provided, Danny Berry is compensated on a fixed fee basis, in a total amount not to exceed $35,100.00. The City pays Danny Berry a management fee of $1,250.00 per individual baseball team, not to exceed 26 teams. In addition to the Management fee, Danny Berry is paid a Clinic Fee of $100.00 per baseball clinic conducted, at a maximum of one (1) clinic per team during the term of the Agreement. It is important to note that the Department has already paid Danny Berry Baseball approximately $25,000.00 at the start of the current Fiscal Year for fall programming; which will exceed the City Manager’s $50,000 approval authority in a fiscal year for Professional Services Agreements.
One possible option for the City of Miami Beach moving forward is to establish a three (3) year agreement, with two (2) additional one-year renewal options, with the Danny Berry Baseball program beginning on August 1st 2018 (Exhibit B). This will require a waiver of bid by the City Commission.
The compensation will continue to be on the fixed fee basis of $1,250.00 per individual baseball team, not to exceed a total of $70,200.00 annually; however, granting the City Manager authority to approve a new annual total based on the future growth of the program. This initial total will fund up to 26 teams per season and in addition, the Contractor shall be paid a Clinic Fee of $100.00 per baseball clinic conducted, at a maximum of one (1) clinic per team during the term of the Agreement.
Administration supports the waiver of bid for Danny Berry’s Baseball Camp’s Youth Baseball Program due to the success, popularity with the community and undeniable growth. The Contractor is eager to continue servicing the community and expanding the sport of baseball in the City.