The county board had serious discussion with Community Center Director Diane Booth regarding what to do with the yet-uncommitted funds from the 1 percent sales and infrastructure tax on August 19, but ended up tabling the matter because it was still waiting for the final tally of expenditures from ORB Management, the county’s general contractor on the Grand Marais Library and the community center/ Cook County YMCA projects. On Tuesday, August 26, County Auditor Braidy Powers informed the board that the uncommitted funds are not $347,000 as previously believed, but only $95,491.81, with an additional $50,000 set aside for a warming house at the hockey rink, for a total of $145,491.81.
Leading up to this discussion, Community Center Director Diane Booth had suggested allocating the remaining 1 percent funds to the three projects that were outlined in 2010 to receive those funds. Booth said the projects were the ice rink warming house at the Cook County Community Center; the tennis courts between Cook County High School and the community center; and another ball field. Booth suggested allocating half of the remaining funds for tennis court reconstruction and half to construct a new warming house/outdoor rec building. In her request, Booth said grants are being written to support both projects and suggested that any leftover 1 percent funds be allocated for a new ball field.
Commissioner Garry Gamble noted that the board, absent Commissioners Sue Hakes and Jan Hall, had previously agreed that the funds would be divided 50/50 between the hockey association and tennis association.
Commissioner Bruce Martinson reminded his colleagues that at the previous meeting, Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk had suggested holding back $25,000 for possible needs at the Cook County Community YMCA. Martinson said he would strongly support retaining $8,000, the amount that it is estimated that repairs to the YMCA locker room floors will cost. The quote for that work was $7,990.
Auditor Powers said there were some meetings scheduled this week to discuss the locker room drainage issue, as well as questions regarding the heating/air conditioning system. “I mean, you can do this now, but I’m not sure what will come out of those meetings,” said Powers.
Commissioner Sue Hakes said, “In theory and in spirit, I want to agree with the motion. But I am concerned about the locker room floors. We are having a meeting on this this week, to see what our options are. Yes, we did get a quote for an additional $8,000 but we don’t know if that is going to take care of the whole thing.”
Hakes noted that the plan was to tackle the locker room problem incrementally. “We agreed to put in some drains, but we don’t know if that will fix the problem. I don’t know that we’ll be moving forward with that or not. My suggestion is that we wait until we have that resolution of the problem before we act on this.”
Gamble asserted that it is important for the organizations waiting for funds to know that it was the county’s intent to split the remaining 1 percent funds, to which Commissioner Doo- Kirk replied, “Diane Booth cannot apply for grants based on intentions… Winter is coming and we have to get this done.”
Commissioner Hakes said that the county had already authorized $50,000 for the hockey warming house about two years ago, and said, “I would honor that,” but noted that she had yet to see plans for the warming house.
Doo-Kirk said the hockey association does have plans ready for a warming house. The grants Booth is focusing on are for tennis court reconstruction, Doo-Kirk said.
After a bit more discussion, Commissioner Martinson made a motion to allocate $60,000 to the reconstruction of the tennis courts and $60,000 to construction of the warming house, leaving $25,491 in the fund.
Commissioner Gamble said he had no problem committing $60,000 to each entity, but added that if the county could maximize the amounts for each, it should.
Commissioner Hakes said, “I’m just really uncomfortable sitting here, kind of making this stuff up. We don’t know where we are at on the locker room floors. We’ll know a lot more; or I hope we’ll have a better plan after this week. …I would prefer not making a decision until after that meeting.
“Alternatively, if we have a problem, if we allocated $60,000 and $60,000 and then we have unresolved problems at the Y, are we prepared to pay for that? My hope is that we don’t vote on this today, until we have those meetings and we know what our options are.”
Martinson repeated that he was comfortable leaving $25,000 in the fund for needs at the YMCA. He said he felt it was a “generous option.”
Gamble suggested asking the entities waiting for funds how this affects them. There was no one present from the hockey association, but there were several tennis association representatives at the meeting. Rod Wannebo spoke for them, noting that it does create a problem as they seek grants from the U.S. Tennis Association. Wannebo said the association had hoped to begin construction this fall, but had no matching funds to show when it applied for grants. “To do this, to start construction in May, we need something as quickly as we can and the more money we have, the better chance we have,” said Wannebo.
Gamble said it had been the hockey association’s intent to have its warming building in place this season. “Out of respect for the organizations that have been waiting on this, I think moving forward I would at least support the motion as presented because it gives them something definitive to move forward on and we will come back and revisit this when we know more about the balance of the fund.
“It’s a balance between respect for the organizations and respect for what we don’t know.”
Hakes reiterated, “I’m opposed. I think we’re moving forward irresponsibly.”
Commissioner Jan Hall said, “I agree.”
The motion was called and passed with Hakes and Hall voting no and Doo-Kirk, Martinson and Gamble voting in favor.
Want to know more?
. A complete copy of county board meeting minutes may be obtained by calling the County Administrator’s Office at (218) 387-3602 or by visiting the county website at www.co.cook.mn.us.
.County board meetings can also be viewed online at www.boreal.TV.
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