After listening to the informational meeting on Tuesday, I have some concerns about our potential contract and gift of $500,000 from the city.
When Bill Townsend (from the tennis association) was asked about public use his reaction was mixed. Several councilors questioned how the public use of the court would be implemented.
Townsend answer at first was that besides the Tennis Association using the facility, there would be public time afforded, then he took an unusual turn. He said he couldn’t say how much the public would be using it because they wanted to wait and monitor the public’s use once opened to determine how much time would be allotted for public use.
Huh? If you are asking for public money wouldn’t you be saying that this facility was partially being built for public use? In other words, if there is truly a PUBLIC need for the facility, the city giving money makes sense, but you don’t know how much the public MIGHT use it, why should we be set in stone with giving you public funds?
Later, Townsend was asked if the city could see how much money the Tennis Association has raised. He said he would not give that information because the original agreement from the city was to give 20% of the cost. But since they are not giving the full 20% he didn’t feel entitled to tell us what they have raised.
What?! If the city is agreeing to give a certain amount, they should be afforded the courtesy of knowing what the Tennis association has raised. It’s not a hard question and it certainly isn’t personal, it’s just a dollar amount, not names of donors.
Lastly when councilor Staggers asked about the conflict of interest with the Mayor signing the contract with his wife sitting on the tennis association, Townsend’s answer was clearly back pedaling. He said he didn’t look at it as a conflict because Cindy Huether has been volunteering on the committee way before the mayor was sworn into office.
Doesn’t matter what Mrs. Huether did before Mike was mayor, it matters now because they are asking for the money while he is Mayor.