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.

Back

to News Home Page |