A Town Divided Over Baseball Field Use
Police were called twice to the Swansea youth baseball field after reports of trespassing, arriving with sirens and ordering the players to leave the premises.
The town of Swansea maintains that the field, owned by the municipality, can only be used by the league if it obtains a formal permit, a requirement the league says it does not need because of a long‑term lease.
Lease versus Permit
During a recent Board of Selectmen meeting, the Department of Parks and Recreation pressed the league to complete a permit application that includes a roster of local participants, a schedule of games and practices, and a declaration of the percentage of Swansea residents involved.
Eric Jussaume, who became president of the Swansea Independent Baseball League last year alongside vice president Ron Rioux, said the organization has been maintaining the field for decades under the lease and believes the agreement still protects its right to play.
Jussaume expressed uncertainty about whether securing a permit would fully resolve the dispute, noting that the league’s legal standing rests on the lease rather than on municipal authorization.
Officials from the Department of Parks and Recreation warned that the league has been subletting the field to third‑party groups, a practice they say violates the terms of the lease and raises liability concerns.
The town argues that a permit was instituted primarily for liability purposes, ensuring that any injuries or incidents on the field can be tracked and addressed by the municipality.
The ongoing standoff highlights a broader tension between community‑run sports programs and local government regulations, a conflict that has drawn attention from residents and local media.