Boosters remain at park

Orange County Boosters will continue managing, planning and scheduling their youth league sports, at least until the fall, according to a ruling by Orange County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Bouton last week.
Back in March, county officials terminated their longstanding lease agreement with the Boosters, a youth league sports organization. The Boosters were given 30 days to vacate Booster Park, which is owned by the county, and located behind the Orange County Airport. In response, the Boosters filed a civil suit against the county.
At Friday’s hearing, Bouton heard arguments from Orange County Attorney Sharon Pandak and Boosters’ lawyer Glenn Goodpasture. Both sides of the issue had collaborated on a contractual document which would allow sports and activities to continue, until the larger matter-whether or not the county had the authority to terminate the lease-goes to trial Oct. 15.
And while county officials and Orange County Boosters organizers agreed that the show must go on at Booster Park, a sticking point in the contract required that the matter be settled in court. Beyond the Boosters’ spring baseball and softball programs, it was unclear whether Boosters’ football would begin in the summer, as it has done traditionally, or whether parks and recreation soccer teams could have use of the property.
“There should be some mechanism to allow activities to continue,“ Bouton said. “The beneficiary here is really the community.“
Bouton ruled that the Boosters could continue to manage activities at Booster Park until further order of the court.
“While the case is pending, the fair thing to do is to maintain the status quo,“ Bouton said. “I simply see no reason why the Boosters should be limited, curtailed or restricted.“
An element of the injunctive relief, Bouton added, was that the parties maintain a measure of openness and cooperation. 
If the Boosters can work football practice and games around a soccer schedule, Bouton told both sides, then “Why not? That’s what those fields are there for.“