By PETER HUSSMANN
The Newton City Council will decide the scope of the project its willing to support at the Maytag Park Bowl when it meets in regular session next Monday.
After more than two and a half hours of discussion with supporters of the $2.5 million Restore the Pride project and the Save the Bowl proponents of improvements solely to the bowl, council members had more questions yet to be answered than direction on which path to follow in making improvements at Maytag Park.
Members of the Restore the Pride group outlined how their project would enhance the bowl's usage and provide a venue for a wider variety of events than currently feasible at the facility. Leveraging what they hope is a $500,000 commitment toward the project, the group said it would be able to use that money to leverage state grants and private financing commitments to bring the project to fruition.
Save the Bowl members said the elaborate proposal from Restore the Pride would negatively impact the historical character of the site and would use valuable city finances at a time of staff layoffs and more important infrastructure repair needs.
Though not saying no to the Restore the Pride proposal, council members did focus on finances in debating the scope of the project the city might be able to afford.
Council member Ron Foreman, while acknowledging the potential for the project, said he would be unwilling to vote to bond for the finances the group needs from the city for the full project to move forward.
"It's a good project," he said. "Can we afford it? No. How can we justify spending $500,000 when we are sending people home on layoff and streets that need repair. That's hard to justify. It's a good project but we don't have the money. I won't vote for bonding."
Frank LIebl, interim director of the Newton Development Corporation, said the city's financial commitment was needed to leverage money from the state through its Community Attractions and Tourism grant program. The size of the city's contribution would be relatively proportionate with the size of the financial commitment coming from the state, he said.
Councilman Jim Plumb said his First Ward constituents are also not in favor of the full plan.
"Two million dollars is way out of line," he said. "My constituents want the bowl brought up to date."
Council members also questioned what impact a lower financial commitment might have on the project and if sources other than general obligation bonds - such as use of hotel/motel tax money - might be considered.
Council members Dennis Julius and Mike Hansen said the common ground between the two groups was that both wanted improvements to be made to the bowl.
"The common ground is the bowl," Julius said. "Both groups want it brought up. If we spend money, we ought to bring it up to 21st Century, bring it to today's standards."
However, he said, maybe that ought to be the sole scope of the project at this time in order to enable residents to understand the direction the city was headed and allow the fund-raising efforts of the bowl group to move forward with certainty on what the donations would be used for.
Which lead Hansen to wonder what the city might have to do with donations received from individuals under the impression that the money was to be used for the full scope of the proposal. He further noted that the city's Capital Improvement Program budget includes a number of other projects at Maytag Park that likely wouldn't move forward if the bowl project became the council's priority.
A resolution will be put before council members on Monday that calls for the full scope of the project proposed by the Restore the Pride group. Council members will either approve it as proposed or make amendments downsizing the project proposal.
Recent Comments