City moving forward with construction of another gymnasium By ANNETTE ESTERHELD Staff Writer
The city is moving forward with construction of a second gym. Monday night the City Council added $25,000 to the FY09 budget for staff to evaluate and locate a site for another gym. It also added a Capital Improvements Project page to the budget.
The subject of a second gym was introduced at the April 14 budget worksession by Councilman Isaac Trouth. It's not a new subject. Mayor Pro Tem Todd Turner said the council placed an objective in the FY08 budget about a second gym.
"I think the majority of us support moving ahead," Turner said. He said he "thinks there is a need" and that he hears it from members of the city's Community Recreation Committee and from residents of the city.
City Manager David Deutsch told the council that building a second gym at this time had "significant implications." He said the council would not want to replicate what exists at the current gym on Health Center Drive. He added that a location analysis, demographics and many other issues need deciding.
Deutsch also said the council and staff need to consider what the proper size of the new gym would be. "It would be a capital project. You need to look not only at the capital side, but at operations. The current gym costs $500,000 a year to operate," he said.
He said the current gym is under 30,000 square feet and that staff ran numbers for a gym the same size and for one that would be 40,000 square feet. "The potential cost is $8 million to $10 million," said Deutsch. He said the staff picked variables to show the council the impact on the budget which he said, if the council wants to construct a gym by FY12, it would probably require a tax increase.
"We could do a gym," Deutsch said. "Our concern is with finances and the suggested schedule."
One of staff's recommendations is that the gym be built at Jericho Park, off Route 197 north of the city. He said the area was cleared and a pad built to house a Bowie Boys and Girls Club gymnasium which was never built.
"If the council is willing, that would be less costly. If we tuck it in Jericho, we could build at a lower construction value and still achieve goals," said Deutsch.
Trouth said he thought the pad at Jericho Park was a "good recommendation for the gym foundation."
"Kids don't care what the outside looks like," said Councilwoman At-large Geraldine Valentino-Smith. She, too, indicated Jericho Park would meet the needs of the community.
"No one argues we don't need a second gym," Councilman At-large Dennis Brady said. He added that he had concerns with the phasing of the gym because of the significant costs of City Hall. "It would be imprudent to add in the same time frame," he said.
Brady made the motion to put $25,000 for a needs assessment and add a CIP page that would reflect construction in 2014. After Councilman Jimmy Marcos seconded Brady's motion, Turner said "I'll be more comfortable with 2012 for construction."
Brady responded that he did not like the change. Turner then suggested splitting the years and placing the year 2013 in the budget for construction of a second gym. Brady again said no. Turner made a motion to amend the construction year to 2012 and that was voted in 4-3. Trouth, Valentino-Smith and Marcos also voted for the change.
The council then voted in the amended motion unanimously.
