08/03/2004 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 8/3/2004 expenses. All the committee members and Council members in attendance agreed that the ice show is a wonderful opportunity for the participants and far those who attend, and they would like to see the ice show continue into the future and advised the Recreation Dept. to seek ways to lessen the expense. The committee unanimously recommended approval of the three resolutions. Councilman Gareau asked Councilman Dailey to give consideration to inviting Mr. DiSalvo to a committee meeting to discuss capital improvements for North Olmsted Park. As discussed in the budget hearings, there is a fairly sizable amount of money that was borrowed some time ago that has not yet been put towazd any one particulaz project. He knows that Mr. DiSalvo has a list of possible projects and would like a status update of the projects. For example, the street/path that connects the east and west sections of the park is in deplorable condition. Mr. Dailey agreed with the suggestion. LETTERS & COMMUNICATIONS The Clerk read the following letter which was received by Councilman Miller: "I am writing to you as the City Council representative on the Pazks & Recreation Commission to protest the deteriorating physical condition of the North Olmsted Recreation Center and the inept, indolent maintenance staff. Recently, there was no hot water in the showers for three days. Yesterday there was a sustained blackout in the locker rooms, and the emergency lighting system did not work. These aze just the most recent of a plethora of equipment breakdowns due to age and lack of preventive maintenance that aze depriving North Olmsted residents of the full use and enjoyment of the Rec Center, with consequence loss of patronage and revenue. For many yeazs the Rec Center was a major attraction for new residerns, but age has dimmed its beauty and newer complexes in Westlake and Strongsville aze drawing our more prosperous residents away. The parking lot in the front of the building needs to be cleaned up and repaired. The locker rooms need to be upgraded and a family changing area added. The boilers need replacement, and the kiddie swimming area repaired and reopened. These items are just a small portion of the list of repairs and improvements that should have been drawn up and presented to the Pazks & Recreation Commission far action long ago. Millions of dollars have been spent on Springvale, and now we need to put some of the existing recreation levy money into the Rec Center. But I have been told that we don't even have a contingency fund for unexpected repairs. As to my eazlier reference to an inept, indolent maintenance crew, you have heazd the joke about how many men it takes to replace a light bulb. Well, I personally observed afour-man crew take the entire morning to replace one light in the pool area. It took two full weeks to assemble the new concession stand in the pool area, a job two retired tradesmen would have completed in a day. But all is not gloom and doom. The North Olmsted Rec Center is still known to have the best program and instructors for swimming lessons. But having learned to swim, we must be sure that they have a place to do it. Please have this letter read to City Council and the Pazks & Recreation Commission. I am asix-day-a-week Rec Center patron and North Olmsted voter. Sincerely yours, Linda M. Meyer." P.S.: "Attached is a short list of fellow Rec Center patrons who shaze my concern." _.,~- 7