PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — A local parent and former board member of a little league team is suing it’s leaders over several counts of misconduct stemming from their leadership.
Jay Woodhams says he filed the lawsuit on behalf of other league families on November 5th, 2019. Court documents show that woodham complains in the suit that Portage South League President Joshua Hill and other board members were complicit in completing electrical work not up to code on the organization’s field on East Centre Avenue in Portage.
In addition, the complaint also alleges that league leaders provided improper discounts and monetary benefits to board members, and conspired to fire the on-staff safety officer Dan Corradini.
The plaintiff has stated that after previous attempts to resolve issues outside of court, he felt like suing was his last option to change what he regards as systemic problems with league leadership.
The suit also accuses leaders of doing little to prevent injury to young players during their time on the field, and overseeing a steady decline in the rolls of volunteers participating with league activities.
The South Portage Little League is a non-profit baseball group for school age children that is largely governed by a board of elected volunteers. The league has not yet released an official statement in response to Woodham’s actions.
On November 27th Hill responded to the court complaint filed by Woodham, questioning the grounds for the suit on the basis that he was no longer a board member and therefore an interested party to any allegations.
The case is now heading to a pending conference hearing before the Kalamazoo County Circuit Court.
