Borrowing possible for sports facilities
JANESVILLE — The Janesville City Council on Monday will consider spending $1.9 million or more for the upkeep of recreational facilities.
Members will consider bids to renovate the ice arena and borrowing to buy equipment for the city’s two golf courses.
Ice arena
Base renovations at the ice arena would total $2.73 million.
The city already has committed $615,600 to replace the ice arena’s 1974 ice-making equipment, $230,500 for consultant fees and $47,000 for stairs and lighting to the new parking stalls at the nearby National Guard Armory.
On Monday, the council is expected to accept a bid for $1.7 million from Scherrer Construction, Burlington.
The money would relocate the ice arena mechanical room, remodel that space into locker rooms and build an addition for the Zamboni.
The city already has some of the money. The council approved borrowing $1.9 million and has an additional $177,500 in energy-efficiency community block grant money.
An additional $650,700 would be borrowed in 2012 to complete base renovations.
The council could add to the remodeling work at the arena, and the company submitted bids on the additional expense for those alternatives. They include:
- Alternative 1: A 1,443-square-foot addition for unfinished program space, $213,000.
- Alternative 1A: Finishing the above space with a locker room, restrooms and shower, $122,000.
- Alternative 2: A 7,121-
square-foot addition for additional seating at the east end of the ice sheet, a small concession area and new public restrooms, $1.4 million.
- Alternative 3: A new canopy at the building’s main entrance, $46,000.
- Alternative 4: New dasher boards and glass around the ice sheet, $85,000.
- Alternative 5: New lighting over the ice sheet, $27,000.
- Alternative 6: A fire sprinkler system in areas not included in the base bid—over the ice sheet, the spectator area and miscellaneous open spaces, $41,000.
City Manager Eric Levitt recommends the council add Alternative 5—new lighting over the ice sheet—and consider adding Alternative 3—the new canopy.
Mike Payne, city engineer, said community groups could offer to raise money for any of the alternatives.
Golf equipment
The council is also being asked by staff to borrow $200,000 for golf course equipment.
Under a former lease with Crown Golf, Crown was responsible for the equipment. Now, the city has a new management contract with KemperSports, and the city pays Kemper $75,000 a year to manage the golf courses.
The city, which now is responsible for equipment, bought the equipment and furnishings used by Crown.
The turf maintenance equipment is 11 years old and needs replacement, said Jay Winzenz, assistant city manager.
Staff proposes the city borrow $200,000 each year for the next three years to replace the entire fleet of maintenance equipment, including greens mowers, fairway mowers, rough mowers and trim mowers.
At the time of replacement, most mowers will range from 11 to 16 years old, Winzenz said.
“This equipment is critical to maintain the course conditions that golfers expect at quality courses,” Winzenz said.
Average debt service over the last seven years at the golf courses has been $85,749 because the city paid for improvements and maintenance of the courses themselves.
Before 2011, that debt was paid from lease payments made by Crown and did not cost taxpayers.
The new proposal would increase debt service by about $15,000 each year for an average of $100,443 through 2019. Property taxes would be used to pay the debt.
The council on Monday will be asked to approve other borrowing for 2012 that includes $1.4 million for the first phase of capping the current landfill.
ON THE AGENDA
The Janesville City Council on Monday will consider an ordinance to allow all alcohol sales after 8 a.m. That ordinance does not mirror state law, as was incorrectly stated on Page 9A on Friday.
State law recently was changed allowing stores to sell alcohol beginning at 6 a.m., two hours earlier than previously allowed.
The city’s ordinance specifies that beer sales begin after 8 a.m., but the ordinance is silent on liquor sales. That means residents now could buy liquor after 6 a.m. but beer after 8 a.m.
The city’s alcohol license advisory committee on Jan. 3 recommended that the sale of all alcohol be allowed after 6 a.m. to mirror state law.
At the Jan. 23 council meeting, three council members—Deb Dongarra-Adams, Yuri Rashkin and Sam Liebert—instead proposed the city maintain its 8 a.m. sales time for all alcohol. Opposed were Tom McDonald and Kathy Voskuil. Russ Steeber was absent. The council has only six members because of the resignation of George Brunner.
A public hearing is scheduled at 7 p.m. Monday in City Hall, when the ordinance will receive its second and final reading.
Feb 13, 2012 at 4:10 p.m.
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I have still never been to the ice arena, never had an interest. When I was younger (when it was built), I remember that only the rich kids went there. Of course now I understand that "rich" is a relative term. I always wondered when I walked past what it was like on the inside. But I felt excluded - my family couldn't afford a luxury like that. But of course our taxes were still collected and allocated to the ice arena as the rich council members saw fit. What can I say?
Now I am older. I still have no interest in hockey or figure skating. I still pay taxes.
Feb 13, 2012 at 9:37 a.m.
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CORRECTION...
I needed to find the story in print.
The story involves a fire in another city.
The first 3 hydrants were frozen, everyone made it out without injury.
THIS IS STILL A WAKE UP CALL
Are the fire hydrants checked regularly in the winter? The city needs to maintain what we have before borrowing money for items not essential.
Feb 13, 2012 at 9:06 a.m.
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How about using the money to fix the broken fire hydrants in the city? The closest working hydrant to the most recent house fire in Janesville was two blocks away(according to the radio story today). If that is a fact, the public has the right to know.
Feb 12, 2012 at 5:25 p.m.
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Grayprimer, you are mistaken, when a student attends a district other than their own the new district gets approximately 75% of the revenue the old district would have gotten for that student. The old district retains 25%.
Feb 12, 2012 at 4:32 p.m.
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The city seems to be on an Obama-style spending spree.
Feb 12, 2012 at 10:59 a.m.
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Borrow = Fail.
Feb 11, 2012 at 9:53 p.m.
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Where can we find out a detailed list of what "consulting" fees the taxpayers actually have committed to? Who did (or will do) the consulting? Almost a quarter million dollars is a whole lot of consulting.
Feb 11, 2012 at 9:39 p.m.
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Well said Gary.....
Feb 11, 2012 at 9:16 p.m.
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Vato, I agree with you.
One of the big problems that these schools are facing, though, is declining enrollment.
Whether or not open enrollment is the cause, many of them are seeing it as the cure.
While open enrollment is a good idea in theory, as it allows students to attend the school of their choice and make schools compete for academic excellence, it has been perverted into the very country club idea of which you speak.
Millions are spent on new facilities to attract students from other districts and secure state money.
This increases the funds in the school budget, but the taxpayers are left to cover the costs not picked up by the state and to pay for all the amenities.
Property tax dollars from the open enrollment students do not follow them to the school of their choice.
They remain in the district where they reside.
Feb 11, 2012 at 8:53 p.m.
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It's like the Beloit School District wanting 6 million dollars for a new pool......where do they get off on this crap?
It's education not a country club....if younwant your kids to be in swimming...pay for it yourself and quit burdening senior citizens with more taxes....
Feb 11, 2012 at 8:33 p.m.
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If these endeavors are money-makers, let private investors fund them. If they don't make money, which is likely the case, we shouldn't fund them. Their insistence on going forward reminds me of that song, "The big fool said march on."
Feb 11, 2012 at 6:21 p.m.
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thought these facilities were supposed to pay for themselves
Feb 11, 2012 at 4:57 p.m.
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Capping the current landfill for $1.4 million might be a good idea but nearly $4.4 million for the ice arena and golf courses sounds a bit extravagant to my taste. What does this all mean to the common taxpayer who can't afford such WRECK CREATION?
Feb 11, 2012 at 4:29 p.m.
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$230,500 for consulting fees? This proves the city council is NUTS! It sure is easy to spend someone else's money.
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