Published: August 28, 2008 11:17 am            

Fine tuning rec center support

It looks like the support that Pauls Valley city officials have already given to a proposed recreation center project will need some fine tuning before a big date this fall.

The adjustment is only a minor thing since members of the PV City Council approved a resolution last April to financially support the project, according to Jonathan Grimmett.

All that’s needed, Grimmett said, is to get that same kind of resolution from the Municipal Authority rather than the city.

This is believed will give some needed assurances to the source of a multi-million dollar community recreation center grant — the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.

“In essence what we’re going to have to have is do it through the Municipal Authority where you’re agreeing to fund a shortfall, where you can do it for more than one year at a time,” Grimmett said.

Grimmett stressed the move is more designed for the foundation and assurances its board members need before this project in PV begins.

“We’re looking for a resolution in Municipal Authority in order for them to feel secure to spend $8 million to build this facility,” he said.

The original sticking point to the city’s support expressed last spring was the wording in the application focused on a long-term financial commitment by the city.

The support is meant to provide for both the center’s regular operation once opened and building maintenance well into the future.

The problem is state law only allows municipalities to encumber taxpayer funds one year at a time making long-term commitments impossible.

City Attorney Jay Carlton included terminology in the first resolution that basically stated the city of PV will follow Oklahoma state law in its efforts to operate the facility.

The same approach was also taken for a resolution that allows for the creation of a reserve fund restricted to the use of long-term maintenance for the center.

As part of a requirement for the grant the maintenance fund must be in place over a 20-year period.

With no such budget restraints on entities like the Pauls Valley Municipal Authority, Grimmett is suggesting the resolution of support come from this side of local government.

“We just wanted you to be aware of this,” City Manager James Frizell told the council earlier this week, who all indicated the issue could easily be addressed at a future meeting held before an upcoming presentation by the Pauls Valley Recreation Planning Committee.

Frizell and Allen Eubanks are the two members of the local recreation committee who will make the make the actual presentation to the board members of the Reynolds Foundation.

The presentation is now scheduled for Oct. 24 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Frizell said he and Eubanks won’t have much time to give the local pitch as the entire presentation will last a grand total of only a few minutes.

“The presentation will last 20 minutes — no more, no less,” Frizell said.

Before they hop on a plane for that trip the city manager said foundation members are wanting to get an advance outline of what PV plans to present during the fall gathering.

Committee members are hoping to include the new local resolution of support for the long-term project from the PVMA.

The proposed project to be presented by Pauls Valley is a multi-purpose community recreation center to be located in Wacker Park.

The center will house a multi-purpose gymnasium, fitness area and indoor walking track among other amenities.

The presentation will focus mostly on the impact the recreation center will have on the community at large.

Plans are also in place to privately raise the funds to construct an outdoor swimming pool at the same time as the center.

        

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