05/02/05 Regular - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Mayor said that there were speakers on this issue. Mary Hart, 6901 Cornell, said her concern was with staff capacity. She cited the Proposition K survey of a few years ago in which many residents expressed the desire for more recreation programming. The pool serves a small number of residents and there is a small staff. She asked how all the staff is going to handle the new recreation facility and all of its programs? One more year of out-sourced pool management may give the staff time to plan properly for the switch and for the programs. That is her main concern. She thought all concerns has been addressed adequately. Beth Bender, 6219 Pershing - 7401 Balson, is the principal of the high school. She is impressed with how the city and the school district worked together. She reminded her staff, at the end of the 2004 academic year, of the generous gift the City gave to the school by allowing use of the pool. She learned last summer that this privilege had been removed, even though there had been no "dialogue" about it. She expressed her concern for educators as foremost and said she thought it was worth it to the City to make this benefit available to educators again. Ms. Brot complimented Ms. Bender for the job she does at the high school. Then she asked Mr. Ollendorff if the City had "corrected the mistake and that school employees are allowed to attend the pool at residential rate, even if they do not live in University City." She asked him if that was right and he said it was correct. They receive the resident rate. Mary Ann Zaggy, 6303 University, said she was glad to see management returned to the recreation center staff. She noted that lifeguards regarded their training with Midwest as inferior to that of Red Cross. Richard Dockett, 6844 Crest Avenue, thanked the citizens for their efforts in returning the pool management to the recreation center and applauded the City Council and the City staff for reversing the decision. Now he asked them to not back-peddle. Ted Smorodin, 7414 Liberty, is president of the Parks Commission. He thanked the City Manager for accepting the Park Commission's recommendation. He noted that forty-two programs were developed by the pool staff, and less than half attracted participants, so they will not be available. AUDITOR'S CONTRACT RENEWAL Mr. Ollendorff reminded Council that they tabled this matter at the last meeting. Ms. Brot moved to remove this item from the table. Mr. Wagner seconded, and the motion to remove from the table carried unanimously. Mr. Wagner asked if the Council was moving to give the auditors a one year or a three year contract? Ms. Brot asked if the price was based on three years and Mr. Ollendorff said that it was, but that it would be cancelable after one year. All that is being approved now is a three-year contract extension. Approval of the contract for this year means it can be renewed next year and the following year.