Residents Ask Council to Reconsider Community Center

A request from residents prompted the to push back a decision to release the $30 million general obligation bonds that voters approved in 2008 to build a community center.

The at a Feb. 28 council meeting, citing concerns about cost.

Councilman Dave Beckering, Ward-8, said at that meeting that the city would need to remove the ability for the city to borrow the $30 million for the project by passing an ordinance.

“In order take $30 million off our basic debt limit that we are somewhat pushing up against now, there would have to be a legislation passed by the governing body and signed by the mayor that would terminate the project and take it off our books,”  City Administrator Michael Spurgeon said at the Feb. 28 meeting.

On Tuesday, the council opted to push off a final vote on that ordinance for two weeks. Councilman Jerry Reese, Ward-6, said he'd been contacted by groups who asked him to delay the final vote.

"I'm always willing to listen," Reese said, adding that he wasn't sure it would make a difference in the council's final decision.

A student and teacher asked the council to reconsider building some sort of community center at the March 7 council meeting.

"We understand community center plans have been tabled, however we do not believe the city should cancel the bond measure," said student Lydia Meeks.

Teacher Diane Schue said her students were talking about the lack fo facilities and things to do in the city. She said the students created a poster and asked their classmates to sign up for various activities they'd like to see in a center. Students said they'd like a snack bar, bowling and basketball.

Meeks said the community center could provide students a place to play basketball, a fitness center and a place to work in the city.

"I talked to all my friends and they said they would go," she said.