09/27/2004 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Regular Council Minutes 9-27-04 Page 25 Mayor Rinker said say that again. Mr. Chapman said on a short-term basis, it is only a 12-month lease and over a period of the next 12 months I don't know that we are likely to totally change our minds on whether or not there is space available for them in the various classrooms. Mayor Rinker said I think it has got to be understood that what would snake this appealing is that is really a temporary arrangement. It is a stopping place for them until they can move to their new home. From our standpoint we have always been sensitive to being careful not to commit or over- commit that facility to any single user. I think everyone would agree we are sensitive to give any impression that it is being a church use. The fact that they have used Middle School at least, I think, should help to allay some of those concerns as far as the specific issue raised on the constitutional issue, I guess we have to look at that one but I don't want anyone to misunderstand that from our standpoint the Civic Center and our use of for community purposes will take precedence over any other use. The understanding has to be of that fact. Mr. Saponaro said that was my concern because I know that we have had other groups that have approached us on use and we haven't been ready-because we didn't know exactly what--- Mayor Rinker said we've let Rotary go in there. There are a lot of users who utilized it when the Church had the facility and initially I was careful to tell Donna and Lee, don't let anyone think that we are just going to open this thing wide open but within the first few months we have gotten to sort of a comfort level that it is manageable. Usually these are people who can clean up after themselves, take care of it, and in that regard, I think in the best sense of the word, it is a civic space. It may not be all that sophisticated or all that high powered, but at least it is being utilized effectively enough in that regard. But in terms of overarching policy, I think everyone needs to understand our view is this is a Civic Center. As we get a better understanding of some budget issues, the overall maintenance and we've got to look at the roof, those are physical plan issues we have to consider regardless-and ultimately, the scheduling. One of reasons we have the Singing Angels there and really would like to open up frankly the Fairmount Center; the idea that this could be a cultural arts facility as well. I think we are taking baby steps and trying to be very careful and cautious. That is why this one, it is good that we all discuss it. It sounds fundamentally to be a pretty pragmatic arrangement for both sides-subject to answering a couple of those questions. Mrs. Mills asked, do you think we need to get more information as far as what the lease hold would be? Would that satisfy some of the members of Council? Mayor Rinker said well absolutely. Mrs. Mills said that would be my thing if I had that building there I would want to know exactly what the church---- Mayor Rinker said Lloyd has been negotiating, he has been the intermediary but we would have any lease arrangement subject to review and approval by our Law Department.