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League Appeals Exclusive Use Ruling

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By LAURA KINSLER

lkinsler@tampatrib.com

Published: March 28, 2009

ZEPHYRHILLS - The youth football saga in Zephyrhills just won't go away.

The Zephyrhills Pasco Police Athletic League, ZPPAL, has appealed city council's split vote to give rival Zephyrhills Police Athletic League, or ZPAL, exclusive use of the city's Krusen Field.

"They appealed, so I put it on the agenda for the next meeting," City Manager Steve Spina said.

Both Spina and City Attorney Joe Poblick said ZPAL should have been disqualified from bidding for the field because of questions over whether the league was properly insured and whether it conducted criminal background checks on all of its coaches, board members and volunteers. But council members Kent Compton, Jodi Wilkeson and Clyde Bracknell overruled his recommendation and voted to award the field to ZPAL.

Compton, whose child plays for ZPAL, made several motions in an effort to win a majority for the league, which is the larger and more established of the two. Compton finally got a majority when he added a condition that would require ZPAL to use Zephyrhills police to conduct new background checks.

But Spina said the police department doesn't want to be responsible for conducting the background checks. "There could be liability issues," he said.

A Sticky Issue
The whole issue of background checks has been sticky for ZPAL, especially because board members from the rival league point out that ZPAL director Mark LaMonte has a criminal record.

LaMonte's record includes several felony arrests and a misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license. LaMonte said he has been open about his background. "My board knew about it," he said. "It didn't disqualify me."

Spina said LaMonte's record was general knowledge in the community last year when he ran for city council. "Everybody knows about it. It was in the newspaper," he said.

In January 2000, LaMonte was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on charges of grand larceny and dealing in stolen property. In a deal with prosecutors, LaMonte pleaded guilty to dealing in stolen property and received three years' probation and two years' community service. The larceny charge was dropped.

In 2003, LaMonte pleaded no contest to charges of driving on a suspended license and driving without a tag, both misdemeanors.

ZPPAL board members said LaMonte isn't the only ZPAL official with a criminal record.

Damien Pickett, an assistant coach for the 12-and-under football team, also has a lengthy record, including a domestic violence conviction one month before last year's football season and another arrest during the season. That case is still pending.

Pickett also had a 1997 arrest for cocaine possession. Records show the charges were dropped after he entered a pre-trial diversion program.

"That's why I think it's important to do the background check," Spina said.
LaMonte said he was not aware of Pickett's history. "It's news to me," he said. "I'm sure if you check, you'll find something in everyone's past."

The Jessica Lunsford Act requires leagues to screen all coaches and volunteers to make sure none are sexual predators. But it doesn't prohibit everyone with a criminal record from coaching youth sports.

Leagues Use Own Discretion

Martha Campbell, administrative services manager for Pasco County Parks and Recreation, said youth leagues are allowed to use their own discretion when deciding whether someone with a criminal record is allowed to coach.

ZPAL's bylaws state that to be disqualified from coaching or volunteering, an individual must have been convicted of a crime against a child or have a drug conviction. Domestic violence convictions would not disqualify a coaching applicant, LaMonte said.

Mayor Cliff McDuffie expressed serious concerns over the council vote. In an e-mail exchange with ZPPAL director Marsha Decena, he advised her to hold off before disbanding her organization until the insurance and background checks are made.

"I do not think the 'Game' is over yet," he wrote, "as Yoga Berea always said, 'It ain't over till it's over.'"

"You can fight City Hall," McDuffie wrote. "You may loose sic but it's your right to do that."

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 779-4617.

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