Wednesday, August 28, 2002
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Wednesday, August 28, 2002 |
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Development Authority opposes cuts for tennis, amphitheater By JOHN MUNFORD
The meeting between council and the development authority wasn't as diplomatically smooth as the airport authority's, but both sides eventually agreed to meet later on the issue once the authority compiles figures on how it can cut costs so it doesn't need the hotel-motel tax subsidy to operate the city's tennis center and amphitheater. Mayor Steve Brown said he wants to free up those funds to use for economic development matters, particularly in recruiting new business and industry for the city's industrial park. But cutting the budget might mean cutting youth tennis camps and possibly raising ticket prices at the amphitheater, said authority chairman Tate Godfrey. "We can't stop this ship on a dime," Godfrey said. Authority member Doug Warner, noting Brown's questions about "inefficiencies" at the tennis center, said attempts to "micromanage" the tennis center could bog the process down. "We are ready, willing and able to take constructive criticism to improve the tennis center," Warner said. "I'm not talking about micromanaging," Brown later said. Brown said the city is "committed" to covering the authority's debts, particularly for the new tennis center expansion. The mayor also countered that he does not want to get rid of Virgil Christian, the former tennis center director who is now the executive director of the authority. "I really don't begrudge the guy at all ... so long as taxpayers are not subsidizing it," Brown said. Authority member Scott Bradshaw said the authority's attorney has advised them the hotel-motel tax agreements signed last year are indeed valid. This conflicts with the recommendation from the attorney hired by council to investigate the contracts this year. Councilman Steve Rapson, whose wife is suing the authority over equal pay issues, abstained from the entire discussion, which he pointed out at the end of the meeting. It will take over a month for the authority to prepare information on the matter to share with council, authority members said. The timing is also important since the authority is about to enter its budgeting process, Bradshaw noted. Councilman Murray Weed said he preferred a quicker resolution to the matter, and Godfrey said he sensed council was considering bringing the matter to the court system. "That's fine," Godfrey said, adding that he hoped the matter could be resolved between council and the authorities before it gets to the legal arena.
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