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Okay, we're now being recorded. This is Laura Berwick. This is the second meeting of the Terry Conner's

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Joint Committee on September 22nd. It's approximately 507 p.m. And from the committee joining me right

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now, our Chris Delasava, Dennis Mahoney, Thomas Madden, Katherine Emmett, who is our general counsel,

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who is not on the committee, but she's joining us as a guest joiner, and I'm going to turn

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it over right now to my colleague Thomas Madden, who's going to run the public hearing section

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of this as we as we put in the announcement of the meeting, because we had a public session last

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two weeks ago. We are limiting this now to a 30-minute session and Thomas is going to be our

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timekeeper. We're going to limit comments to two minutes so that everybody who has signed up can

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get in. We had as one of the rules for this hearing that if you had spoken less in two weeks ago

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that we were asking that you not sign up again to speak, so I know there were at least three

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speakers who signed up who did have an opportunity to speak last week, so we are not going

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to call on you to speak again because this was in a combination because of a conflict two weeks ago.

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So without further ado, I'm going to turn over to Thomas Madden and I will let him run the public hearing

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Thank you.

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Excellent.

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Thank you so much Laura.

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So just to clear the record, this is not a public hearing.

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This is a public comment session on the rank and the rank operations.

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As I mentioned last time during the public comment session,

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that we are looking for your input on how the rank is actually operated.

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Either ways that the rank can be operated better as your revenue streams that we

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could be looking at or if we do choose to go out to an RFP at any point, what works from the

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conditions that we were looking, you know, should be incorporating into that RFP. So I will

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now line up my first speaker, which is Peter Hennessy.

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Laura's got him. Yeah, I'm looking to try to

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find him. If Peter could raise his hand because I don't see him in

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the list, he may be on a phone number.

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Hang on a second. Let's see you three, two, seven. Hang on a second. Let's not see you.

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I don't see the phone number on there. Okay.

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All right, so we will.

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We'll move to our second speaker.

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Go move to our second speaker.

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Uh, Janette.

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Plananski. Oh, I got that right.

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Uh, you're next.

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Five, two, four is the right there.

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You're right. So I just saw the phone number.

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I

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think we lost a phone here there, Laura.

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Okay, sorry.

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We're, Janette.

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Yeah, it was the last four digits or four, four, four, six.

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I don't see it. Do you see it?

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It was just on there, and then I just like, click off.

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All right, we'll move to our third speaker.

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We'll circle back, Pam Foster.

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I'm not seeing that one either.

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Do you see it?

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One, one, zero, five, six.

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I don't see that as a calling either.

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Oh no, I see you're now.

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That's just right for hand.

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We're on mute.

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Thank you.

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Can everyone hear me?

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We can hear you.

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Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

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My name is Pamela Foster,

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and I'm the president of the skating

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of the Southern Connecticut.

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I have two daughters that skate individually

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and with a Southern Connecticut

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synchronized skating organization.

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I do not have a long family history with skating. My experience with skating began 10 years ago when my oldest was in kindergarten.

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That first step on the ice, she was hooked. Since then, she and her younger sister have participated in just

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about every figure skating offering hosted at Terry Connors. From group lessons to summer camp to joining

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the synchronized skating team to competing in individual competitions and testing. And now my

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eldest is an instructor where she is able to pass her joy of skating onto others. To say that Terry

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Connors is a big part of our lives is a major understanding. What I ask for this committee to consider

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is a service that the City of Stanford provides to its community.

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Now more than ever, the community needs a safe, affordable outlet for kids and adults alike

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to come together, whether it be hockey, figure skating, or even just a fun afternoon activity.

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As a community rank, groups like the Skate Club, Sincro, and Stanford be hockey

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have been able to keep tuition low in order to offer opportunities for families that would

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otherwise be unable to participate in what we all know are being expensive for.

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Privateizing this range will put profits over people.

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We're pricing will exclude many Stanford residents, two towns on affordable programs for

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their children.

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Thank you.

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Excellent.

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Thank you so much for your comments on that.

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All right.

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Rosemary.

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Vanessa.

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I saw I did see a Rosemary or what's rose, but Rosemary is on here.

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I'm

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sorry.

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We can hear you.

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Great.

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Thanks.

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First of all, thank you for this meeting today.

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My first comment is a time, though.

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I feel that you have a meeting regarding children and families at the time at five o'clock.

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That's usually not good for people to participate.

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A later time probably would have been a better time to get more families involved.

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I've been at Ciri Conner's skating ring for the minute these doors open.

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literally. I have been a skater myself. I have been an employee as a teenager, as an adult.

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I have been the director of the skating rake and my daughter has often been skating skaters.

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My whole story is repetitive skater that started here at Terry Conner's skating rake.

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The question here is about revenue. Ever since I have been here, there is always the new

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faces into the Group Lesson Program, our camps, and our Group Lesson Programs are always successful

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and bring in a revenue that helps support this rank.

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Public sessions are busy, it's an opportunity to family.

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In a time where children and family need support and positive activities, the people that

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are supposed to be looking out for the welfare of the community and Stanford needs to step

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up and do its right.

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Selling this spring, shutting it down, or whatever opportunities there that will limit the opportunities to the community, to people of all different ethics, as well as economical abilities to pay the fees for the ranks, would not be to the best service of this community.

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Skating not only offers a sport, it offers discipline, life skills, competence to our children.

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It gives a place for families to spend time together, and a time where lives matter.

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Why are we worried so much about money?

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Terry Conner provides a reasonable opportunity to the community and is a responsibility and

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more obligation of this committee to do what's right for the community at large and I feel

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that this opportunity for kids to skate and do something positive and the long one can

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say the community money by kids staying up to streets, building self confidence and

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Thank you very much.

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Alright, the next person to speak is Julia.

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Yeah.

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I just fell down.

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Oh, I got that right.

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Okay.

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Let me go.

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Are you going outside?

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All right.

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I'm going to come on your team.

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Hang on.

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I'm looking for...

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She's on there.

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She's on there.

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I just want to raise your hand.

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There she is.

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Okay.

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Thank you.

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You're on mute.

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Hello, my name is Julia Pelvinos, and I'm a skater on the shadows, one of Southern Connecticut synchronized skating's three teams.

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During the past five years, I've had the opportunity to move up to the club's various levels and teams,

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I have also improved my leadership skills taking on greater responsibility and learned more about teamwork than in any other activity.

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Without Terry Conner's rank none of this would have been possible.

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As a 17-year-old, I do not know a lot about operations and behind the scenes of the rank.

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But I do know that the rank is run by amazing people who are terrific at their jobs.

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Making decisions about the rank without consulting them is unwise because they truly know Terry Conner's best.

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Terry Conner's rank is one of the most affordable ranks in the state.

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One of the best things about Terry Conner's is that it has given lower income skaters a place to develop their skills.

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Without access to a reasonably priced rank, many people would not be able to enjoy the thrill that is skating.

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If the rank was to be bought by a third party, there's a possibility that many rank users would no longer be able to afford ice time,

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therefore making skating less accessible to all.

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As someone who has had the opportunity to skate at Terry Connors, I can truly say that the programs offered are of great quality while still being affordable.

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As a high school senior, this will be my last year skating full-time at Terry Connors.

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I will miss being at the rank, but I hope for the generations of synchronized skaters coming behind me.

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Many of my friends are younger than me, and I'd like them to have the same opportunities to finish their skating careers in the way that I will not get to due to the pandemic.

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Please consider the low income families developing skaters and the growing alumni of our club before you make this decision.

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Terry Conners has given me the best eight years of my life. Please don't take that experience away from any other skater.

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Thank you.

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Thank you so much for your comments.

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Thomas, I have Jeanette.

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I found her phone number.

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So we're going to allow Jeanette to speak.

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Jeanette,

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you, you need to unmute your phone.

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And you'll be able to speak.

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I think it starts six.

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Thank you.

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You're on.

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All right, Janet, we're not hearing you yet.

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Can you hear me now?

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We can hear it, yes.

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All right.

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Okay, sorry about that.

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My name is Jeanette Village Nanski.

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Thank you for the opportunity to make a request to the committee.

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If an RFP is drafted, please include all existing user eye signs.

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Require better to sustain how their financial model was to subsidize our rates without moving our times

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and are overcrowded the ice.

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Our community should not be displaced by those who can afford to pay more,

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nor should our children be forced to escape on after hours.

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Require that the least, let's see if it's the enough for profit.

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This is the only way to guarantee that profit will not outweigh access to affordable ice time.

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Please consider that a public hearing alone with limited participation from

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required is user representation on the committee, acting in a advisory capacity or even as

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a guest as Ms. Emmett is, user membership would provide for a dynamic ongoing dialogue when laying

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down terms for an RFP or lease. It would ensure that our children don't get short change in

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the process because of a lack of communication. Concerns regarding user conflict that interest

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can be addressed by going into executive session when drafting one. Please consider that the

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that TCR puts out some of the best ice in the area, survey outside users, market their findings,

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and have non-residents pay the price that it's called for. Don't give away the ranked

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the highest bidder without knowing its true value. The ranked can see over 2,000 people. How many

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ranks in the area can accommodate that many? What the help of the downtown special services district

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revenue generating events can be organized potentially generating $80,000. It's an event is charged

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for you to always per person.

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Consider the NBC Sports and WWE Stanford Companies

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could lease the Rink for Special Events.

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If the city goes down the road of privatization,

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commission on revenues for large scale events is a must.

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Finally, don't undervalue a community asset

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that can make money for the city

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because the city lacks the wealth or skills

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that to develop.

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Consider a non-for-profit public partnership

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similar to Mill River that can meet the goals

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of both the community and the city,

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The proposed model would return precious dollars to needed infrastructure rather than the

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to the pockets of the highest bidder. Thank you.

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All right. Perfect. Genet. Thank you. That was very

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succinct.

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If you are here just raise your hand,

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all right. We will go to the next speaker and we'll we can circle back. Stephanie.

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Highly, nine one seven. I don't see her.

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Hold on, let me see our letter.

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Stephanie, if you're on, you could raise your hand.

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We'll move to the next person. Debbie Kelly.

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Nice. Debbie. All right, perfect.

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All right, Debbie, we can hear you're on.

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Great, thank you.

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So my name is Debbie Kelly.

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Thanks for giving us time to speak.

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I'm the mother of a 10 year old and a 13 year old

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who are both taking or in public school and Stanford.

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And you know, in the elementary years,

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we did have an opportunity to move.

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And we doubled down.

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We stayed in Stanford.

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We didn't leave and go to one of the communities around us.

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We chose Stanford because it's a diverse community.

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Um, and we love what it has to offer one of the things that I personally have a concern about as I see that we've got three locations of ranks in Stanford and a total we have five ranks right now.

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Only one of them is really accessible on a regular basis to families. My daughter who's 13 is on the Southern Connecticut secret ice skating team, which we only found out about through her doing her private lessons.

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I'm sorry, her public lessons at Terry Conner's. Both of my kids have not only done lessons there,

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they have attended summer camp there, it's a great asset, and I wanted to really stress the fact

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that I think keeping the rank as a non-profit is the best way for us to deliver on the city that

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works and really make sure that we do have a rank in the city that everybody has access to,

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regardless of income.

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I personally have had penal responsibility in my job.

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My husband's in a financial role at a non-profit.

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I realize these are not easy decisions.

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It's not something where everybody can say yes or no,

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it's not that easy.

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I think there's a lot of hard work to do,

236
00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,180
but there's a lot of creative opportunities to do it.

237
00:17:34,340 --> 00:17:35,620
I also have a background in marketing,

238
00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:38,300
and I know that getting types of people

239
00:17:38,300 --> 00:17:40,780
who have done this type of work and other ranks

240
00:17:40,780 --> 00:17:43,900
and other places can help us just like the other person

241
00:17:43,900 --> 00:17:50,020
suggested, find creative ways to get additional income to help make that possible. I do also

242
00:17:50,020 --> 00:17:54,000
just want to say that I know that people, you know, say that the rank is in the best looking

243
00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:59,780
rank around. I don't think anybody that uses this rank really cares. To be honest, they love the rank,

244
00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,280
and I'll tell you that from other skaters that have come here, we have some of the best ice

245
00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:08,680
around. I personally and not a great skater. I can't testify to that, but I can tell you that

246
00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:13,260
it's recognized from around, and that's what's important to people. I don't know whether it's

247
00:18:13,260 --> 00:18:16,520
potentially in the future. There's a lot of space down there for

248
00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:20,440
potential, always potential income from a second rank. I know that was

249
00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,560
discussed in the past on the same property. Lots of

250
00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,100
potential for the future. And I hope that it's something that the

251
00:18:27,100 --> 00:18:30,300
city you continues to invest in. Thank you.

252
00:18:31,460 --> 00:18:33,840
Excellent. Thank you so much, Debbie. We appreciate the

253
00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,660
comments. And I will agree with you. The very

254
00:18:36,660 --> 00:18:39,340
Congress does have the best ice as I referee their quite a bit.

255
00:18:39,340 --> 00:18:42,920
So, uh, next person is John Nielsen?

256
00:18:45,590 --> 00:18:46,870
Hi, committee. Can you hear me?

257
00:18:47,430 --> 00:18:49,290
Yes. Perfect.

258
00:18:49,550 --> 00:18:52,350
Well, I just want to thank all of you for the opportunity to speak.

259
00:18:53,490 --> 00:18:58,250
I've had the, I've been fortunate not for the last 10 to 15 years to be a big part of

260
00:18:58,250 --> 00:19:02,210
Stanford, youth hockey. I was president for two terms for four years, up until 2018.

261
00:19:03,390 --> 00:19:07,250
So, very familiar with all the families and the needs and requests, and I think you've had

262
00:19:07,250 --> 00:19:12,330
great speakers. I know Jeanette outlined a lot of good revenue streams. This is obviously a business decision.

263
00:19:13,990 --> 00:19:18,430
We have to find the revenue and I don't want to repeat everything that was said in allocate time.

264
00:19:18,670 --> 00:19:23,110
But I think there's a couple of things that are important to kind of point out and I don't know if it's my age

265
00:19:23,110 --> 00:19:29,450
talking about certain movies and how they really categorize. But you think of a wonderful life and George Bailey and Potter.

266
00:19:29,910 --> 00:19:35,610
Right. So if we're talking about this great savings alone, this great rank, and we're going to give this just away for a few dollars now.

267
00:19:35,610 --> 00:19:42,750
But it's going to, it's not going to take care of those in the community that really need access to this.

268
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:29,280
Fires at all the elementary schools, helping race funds for the high school players. There's a lot of, there's an underserved community in Stanford that if we just give away this asset to the highest bidder, and we don't take care of, you know, the community, you know, the city that works, it's really going to be a huge disservice. So I know you're decisions not easy, but being on the front line for over a decade and kind of seeing the fact that there's all these links being built around this, there's obviously money to be generated from these types of assets.

269
00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:34,360
I think our speakers so far tonight have outlined a lot of great opportunities to do that.

270
00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:36,320
I just don't want us to be short-sighted.

271
00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:41,200
It's not all about making the most potential profit possible, but as long as it's a self,

272
00:20:42,100 --> 00:20:47,660
if it's sustained itself, and adds to the value of the community and quality of life for

273
00:20:47,660 --> 00:20:53,020
everybody, not just those who can afford to play skate and hockey and so on,

274
00:20:53,580 --> 00:20:55,960
I think that's what we have to keep in mind as you make this decision.

275
00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:57,860
I appreciate the time.

276
00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:04,500
Excellent. Thank you so much, John. I appreciate the comments. Next, Stephanie Ushia.

277
00:21:09,450 --> 00:21:10,810
I'm still on mute for Stephanie.

278
00:21:17,170 --> 00:21:20,190
Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you now.

279
00:21:20,490 --> 00:21:30,530
Hi. Thank you. So my name is Stephanie Ushia and I am a lifelong Stanford resident and a hockey mom for the past 10 years.

280
00:21:30,530 --> 00:21:37,090
So, I think over the past few months you obviously have heard a lot from us, from Stanford

281
00:21:37,090 --> 00:21:37,770
sharks.

282
00:21:38,710 --> 00:21:45,590
So, you know, our desire to have TCR be the way that it's meant to be in a affordable

283
00:21:45,590 --> 00:21:47,410
place for our kids to play hockey.

284
00:21:48,550 --> 00:21:56,030
We, you know, have reached out to you guys and to other city folks on, you know, some ways

285
00:21:56,030 --> 00:21:58,110
to help with the expenses.

286
00:21:58,110 --> 00:22:28,090
There's, you know, solar, using solar panels, solar energy for the rank, there's marketing and sponsorship revenue that can be used, and quite honestly, you know, there is some level of frustration, you know, with this process, because, you know, there does seem to be some underlying cause of that it, it's just going to go to RFP.

287
00:22:29,470 --> 00:22:45,990
And I hope that's not the case because that would certainly be selling the kids out and just like, you know, John Niels and said, you know, just going to the highest bitter, that's like giving the rank away to, you know, to our greatest opponent in hockey, you know, we won't get that ice time.

288
00:22:45,990 --> 00:22:52,550
they can make all the promises in the world that they'll do right by who, you know, the, the bitter.

289
00:22:53,510 --> 00:23:01,050
But we won't, we won't see that and hockey, you know, the sharks, as we know, it would, would end as a league.

290
00:23:01,770 --> 00:23:12,190
So we just hope that the right people and, and the right minds put together to, to make a budget that works for Terry Conners,

291
00:23:12,190 --> 00:23:16,290
because the numbers just haven't been driving thus far.

292
00:23:16,750 --> 00:23:21,370
I know that there's still like $700,000 that Terry Conner hasn't seen it

293
00:23:21,370 --> 00:23:23,950
to start making their capital improvements.

294
00:23:24,230 --> 00:23:29,090
So I think it's extremely important that we are giving this rank

295
00:23:29,090 --> 00:23:32,330
to the community and not to the highest bidder.

296
00:23:32,710 --> 00:23:38,630
And let these kids just play hockey, figure skate, and do what they want to do,

297
00:23:39,270 --> 00:23:40,370
especially in these times.

298
00:23:41,130 --> 00:23:41,950
Thank you.

299
00:23:42,730 --> 00:23:42,870
Perfect.

300
00:23:43,050 --> 00:23:44,450
Thank you so much for your comments.

301
00:23:46,830 --> 00:23:51,670
We have, if we want to circle back, I did see it's actually under

302
00:23:51,670 --> 00:23:54,230
Angelov crew, not team Angelov.

303
00:23:55,310 --> 00:23:55,890
That's Fiona.

304
00:24:00,900 --> 00:24:01,380
I'm sorry.

305
00:24:01,380 --> 00:24:02,200
We're there.

306
00:24:04,780 --> 00:24:09,460
I'm not seeing maybe that person can raise their hand.

307
00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:10,560
Or using.

308
00:24:10,940 --> 00:24:14,200
They just come in and it looks like they just left.

309
00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:19,960
come in and out. Peter Hennessey, did Peter join us?

310
00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:21,520
I didn't see Peter either.

311
00:24:26,620 --> 00:24:32,830
Thomas, I'm going, okay, so if Peter Hennessey or Fiona,

312
00:24:32,970 --> 00:24:37,110
Angela, or Stephanie Kylie are listening in

313
00:25:00,020 --> 00:25:15,340
I think since there were only three people who signed up, who spoke last time, I'm going to make an executive decision here to allow each of them up to two minutes to speak.

314
00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:20,600
So, I think the first one was Nick Bergarra,

315
00:25:22,780 --> 00:25:26,320
and I'm looking for you Nick.

316
00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:32,260
If you are there, if you want to raise your hand, oh, there you are.

317
00:25:32,460 --> 00:25:33,100
I see you.

318
00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:35,580
Go ahead.

319
00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:36,960
We'll give you the floor.

320
00:25:37,700 --> 00:25:38,340
Thank you.

321
00:25:38,340 --> 00:25:40,780
Thank you for supporting us the time to speak again.

322
00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:47,800
The first topic that I want to bring up is the near $700,000 that is being held back on this.

323
00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:54,520
There's 200 from a lawsuit and the near $500,000 that was bonded, which the rank is paying

324
00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:55,960
principal and interest on.

325
00:25:56,460 --> 00:26:02,160
So it needs to be stricken from the operating budget and put into the special fund that the

326
00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:03,540
rank has been put in.

327
00:26:03,780 --> 00:26:08,660
This was put for the sole purpose of fixing infrastructure in the rank which needs to be done.

328
00:26:08,660 --> 00:26:17,140
That number based on the cap X, which you guys will go into, which has been blown out of

329
00:26:17,140 --> 00:26:25,820
proportion, will cover close to half if not a third of the cap X. Fixing the roof will

330
00:26:25,820 --> 00:26:32,120
allow for solar to come into play, which will knock out approximately 150 grand of utilities

331
00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:38,400
a year. Over 10 years, this would knock out the rest of the cap X budget.

332
00:26:43,510 --> 00:26:48,470
We're asking you guys to do the right things for the kids, and there's no reason to go

333
00:26:48,470 --> 00:26:53,210
to RFP. There are a lot of options that we're put forward and additional revenue streams

334
00:26:53,210 --> 00:26:58,950
available. We're just asking for accountability, honesty, and fairness. All things we teach

335
00:26:58,950 --> 00:27:05,890
our kids and look for in our politicians. We are conducting a community-gid-back program to

336
00:27:05,890 --> 00:27:11,450
this week and revitalize Scalzy Street hockey rink free of charge to the city. We have fundraised

337
00:27:11,450 --> 00:27:16,550
across the materials and offering our labor to bring this rink back to its glory and teaching

338
00:27:16,550 --> 00:27:22,330
our kids community service. We are also providing a public invitation to our public

339
00:27:23,270 --> 00:27:30,850
open weekend picnics Saturday October 10th to the members of this committee, Mayor Martin and

340
00:27:30,850 --> 00:27:38,190
board members to see what Terry Conners is to us in the city. Just how big is we thank you for

341
00:27:38,190 --> 00:27:44,890
your time and efforts and we want to make sure that this stays a service to Stanford and not

342
00:27:44,890 --> 00:27:51,510
so selling out our kids. Thank you. Excellent. Thank you very much Nick. Appreciate the

343
00:27:51,510 --> 00:27:56,630
Conners. Just make sure the picnic is defined by the executive order by this state to make sure

344
00:27:56,630 --> 00:27:59,270
we're not over the capacity on the number of people, please.

345
00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,180
Sorry, long term recovery officer, I gotta do my pay here.

346
00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:10,680
All right, we will circle back to Alex Andros.

347
00:28:11,100 --> 00:28:12,480
I think it might be just as Alex.

348
00:28:12,740 --> 00:28:13,000
I

349
00:28:24,010 --> 00:28:26,930
don't have an Alex Andros, I have Russia

350
00:28:27,850 --> 00:28:29,830
or I really need to be in the same list, sorry.

351
00:28:30,470 --> 00:28:34,030
Yeah, I didn't see Russia in there.

352
00:28:34,370 --> 00:28:35,770
I was looking at the Zoom name.

353
00:28:35,770 --> 00:28:37,610
Oh, okay.

354
00:28:40,580 --> 00:28:42,360
Raise your capisaurus.

355
00:28:42,660 --> 00:28:43,460
I apologize.

356
00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:44,940
This pronunciation.

357
00:28:45,340 --> 00:28:46,560
If you want to raise your hand,

358
00:28:55,390 --> 00:28:55,630
Rick Johnson.

359
00:28:56,190 --> 00:28:57,090
And then Rick Johnson.

360
00:28:58,630 --> 00:28:59,130
Is that Rick?

361
00:28:59,910 --> 00:29:00,250
Yes.

362
00:29:00,910 --> 00:29:01,350
Just Rick.

363
00:29:06,550 --> 00:29:08,990
I have Rocco in there somehow.

364
00:29:11,370 --> 00:29:13,450
Did you Rocco, did I see Rick?

365
00:29:13,490 --> 00:29:14,330
I was just that.

366
00:29:16,030 --> 00:29:16,950
That's Stephanie.

367
00:29:17,510 --> 00:29:19,050
Uh, can you, this is Rick.

368
00:29:19,250 --> 00:29:19,970
Can you hear me?

369
00:29:19,970 --> 00:29:23,030
We can. Shall I?

370
00:29:23,130 --> 00:29:24,310
We share some of your research.

371
00:29:26,290 --> 00:29:31,130
Some people have already covered some of the numbers, things that I researched from our last meeting,

372
00:29:31,770 --> 00:29:36,690
because I read an article that said the rate was losing $250,000 a year,

373
00:29:37,170 --> 00:29:39,550
and yet the chart that you provided in your material,

374
00:29:40,330 --> 00:29:42,950
that there was no year that it lost from 2009,

375
00:29:43,670 --> 00:29:48,330
$250,000. In fact, sometimes it made 100,000 over expenses.

376
00:29:49,170 --> 00:29:58,570
And then I saw the spike at the end going into 2020-21 where expenses go from 900,000 to 1,400,000.

377
00:29:58,950 --> 00:29:59,970
And I know there are some...

378
00:30:01,420 --> 00:30:03,420
Rick, we lost you here.

379
00:30:26,020 --> 00:30:46,000
Okay, Rick, unfortunately, we can't hear you. I'm going to bounce you out. What I would ask you to do is to just please send something in and writing to us on TCR committee at stampfordct.gov and we'd be happy to have you be a part of it.

380
00:30:46,000 --> 00:31:00,840
I wanted to open up our committee session and before we do that, I want to take a few minutes to say a few words and to try to frame how we got to where we are.

381
00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:15,980
The first thing I want to do on behalf of the committee is to thank everybody from the public who has participated in the.

382
00:31:15,980 --> 00:31:19,100
And we have absolutely heard you.

383
00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:25,680
We have had, I believe, over 150 emails written in,

384
00:31:25,900 --> 00:31:28,900
as well as numerous calls to the mayor's office.

385
00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:29,400
Laura?

386
00:31:30,060 --> 00:31:30,440
Yep.

387
00:31:30,980 --> 00:31:31,860
We had, sorry.

388
00:31:31,980 --> 00:31:35,340
It looks like Richia tried to raise her hand.

389
00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:37,760
OK, do I have any to stop?

390
00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,860
And if you don't mind, I want to just make

391
00:31:40,860 --> 00:31:42,500
your own video to get the chance to speak so far.

392
00:31:42,500 --> 00:31:45,240
OK, I have Rocco, is that who we're talking about?

393
00:31:48,780 --> 00:31:53,720
Raccoon, Lucia, and Rick, all right, I'm going to stop and turn it back to the speakers.

394
00:31:58,620 --> 00:32:00,700
This is Rick, I got, now.

395
00:32:01,820 --> 00:32:02,360
May I continue?

396
00:32:03,140 --> 00:32:03,440
Yes, please.

397
00:32:03,820 --> 00:32:04,220
And finish?

398
00:32:05,020 --> 00:32:09,680
Like, if we've all these money guys, if all these money guys are knocking on our door,

399
00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:11,820
then we know there's money to be made, right?

400
00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:14,080
Because the demand from ICE is increasing.

401
00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:15,740
Chelsea Pierce is about to go on.

402
00:32:16,620 --> 00:32:19,620
And the only thing that's keeping up a float right now is the ice.

403
00:32:19,620 --> 00:32:28,140
everything else is going very badly. They're left at Titanic. So my point is, then, why don't we manage this thing

404
00:32:28,140 --> 00:32:35,600
for profitability? If it made money in the past, for years and years and years and years and years, over expenses, it made revenue over expenses,

405
00:32:35,940 --> 00:32:41,980
somebody ought to call dean out in the Mexico, put his head together with Kenny, and put together some priorities.

406
00:32:43,140 --> 00:32:48,200
But let's manage it to profitability, just like we were the money guys. Let's look at it like they look at.

407
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:52,140
And get through the money crunch over the next two, three years, and the capital expenditures,

408
00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:59,820
and manage this thing, and turn into a money maker for the city. It's so close. It's so close.

409
00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:04,840
And have them prioritize the capital expenditures. Those can be stretched out. It looks like you're

410
00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:09,240
jamming it all into one year, but it should be spread over five years. And a priority list,

411
00:33:09,460 --> 00:33:16,340
particularly with Dean who knows this thing so well, I reach out to him and can give him a

412
00:33:16,340 --> 00:33:18,000
still be a consultant on this project,

413
00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,200
put it together with the people who there are,

414
00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:22,560
or have their hands on the Greek right now,

415
00:33:23,140 --> 00:33:24,240
and put together a plant.

416
00:33:25,020 --> 00:33:28,740
And in terms of, in terms of Stanford $65 million money problems,

417
00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:31,900
I mean, this isn't like the Smith House, which was $6 million in debt.

418
00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:34,460
This is a couple million to get going here.

419
00:33:34,700 --> 00:33:36,920
And if we manage it like the money guys,

420
00:33:37,740 --> 00:33:38,540
we can make some money.

421
00:33:38,780 --> 00:33:40,800
And still keep it as a cornerstone of the community.

422
00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:44,360
My kids, all three of my kids took part in silhouettes,

423
00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:46,340
and that's not a tarry car.

424
00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:49,840
It can be managed to properly build.

425
00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:52,860
Thank you very much.

426
00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:53,600
Excellent.

427
00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:54,380
Thank you Rick.

428
00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:56,240
We do appreciate your comments.

429
00:33:59,620 --> 00:34:02,520
We do have one hand raised Laura.

430
00:34:03,300 --> 00:34:04,560
So I'm not sure it's Brian.

431
00:34:05,540 --> 00:34:06,320
That'll come down us.

432
00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:07,240
There we go.

433
00:34:08,660 --> 00:34:10,640
So that was Julia's.

434
00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:11,960
All right.

435
00:34:13,740 --> 00:34:13,960
Hi.

436
00:34:14,500 --> 00:34:14,780
Tom.

437
00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:15,680
Yes.

438
00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:22,480
Well, this is Dan's Monet, I have a text that is a capisaurus that was supposed to

439
00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:28,780
speak, but it's not the capisaurus, it's full of last time. And the rubber ends in 1425,

440
00:34:29,940 --> 00:34:37,380
just FYI. All right, sorry, I was trying to find that. But 1425, so it's a 646 number.

441
00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:45,580
I guess, yeah. I have the 1425, Brian, you've got the floor and then we will go to 145 next.

442
00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:13,620
But I am the mother of Julia who spoke to you earlier. We have been all of our ice skating dollars

443
00:35:13,620 --> 00:35:19,760
have gone to Terry Conner's, although we actually live in Riverside. And I did have an opportunity

444
00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:27,300
the summer to talk to the head of the Greenwich Parts and Director of Parts and Repping Greenwich

445
00:35:27,300 --> 00:35:35,340
about the idea of Stanford selling Terry Connors as Greenwich goes through the process of planning

446
00:35:35,340 --> 00:35:49,740
for rebuilding Dorothy Hamel. So, our town is committed to having a municipal ring just as I

447
00:35:49,740 --> 00:35:57,880
such a unique asset in this area, in that it is open year round. It has skating programs

448
00:35:58,700 --> 00:36:05,200
during the academic year as well as the summer camp programs, which my daughter has taken

449
00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:17,580
advantage of and all of those activities are subscribed to. It really is truly a unique asset

450
00:36:17,580 --> 00:36:27,720
And it's wonderful, but when I asked Joe about wooden municipality consider selling its ring, he just looked at me, he said,

451
00:36:28,020 --> 00:36:37,260
I'm shocked to hear that because if they intend to lease it out, you never get that asset back in the same condition that you let it go.

452
00:36:37,900 --> 00:36:43,760
So he was actually quite surprised that Stanford was considering that.

453
00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:51,100
The other thing, having had an opportunity to look at the management at both ranks, I know that people in

454
00:36:51,100 --> 00:36:56,760
Greenwich are envious of the team that manages Terry Conner's.

455
00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:10,480
Kenny has such a sterling reputation that I'm surprised that he's not part of the team that's helping to plan to take the ring forward,

456
00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:17,460
because he has just done such a fabulous job at managing what you have today.

457
00:37:17,820 --> 00:37:22,980
So I'm hoping that as time goes on in the story unfolds,

458
00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:28,940
you can get to the point where the city will look to maintain its asset,

459
00:37:29,180 --> 00:37:36,000
recognizing that it's truly unique in both the people that run it and the building and the facility itself.

460
00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:42,200
And I hope that the city of Stanford and its residents get to participate at the

461
00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:44,120
bring for years to come.

462
00:37:44,140 --> 00:37:45,000
Thank you.

463
00:37:47,050 --> 00:37:47,390
Excellent.

464
00:37:47,490 --> 00:37:49,530
Thank you very much.

465
00:37:49,710 --> 00:37:51,950
And we had a break.

466
00:37:52,190 --> 00:37:53,930
Ten is giving me the last four numbers again.

467
00:37:54,210 --> 00:37:54,610
I'm sorry.

468
00:37:56,230 --> 00:37:57,110
I'm my cursor.

469
00:37:58,310 --> 00:38:00,070
One, four, two, five.

470
00:38:00,070 --> 00:38:00,810
Got it.

471
00:38:00,850 --> 00:38:01,130
Okay.

472
00:38:01,670 --> 00:38:02,150
We're good.

473
00:38:05,770 --> 00:38:06,010
All right.

474
00:38:06,150 --> 00:38:07,550
Just got to come on mute.

475
00:38:07,990 --> 00:38:08,430
You're still on mute.

476
00:38:08,430 --> 00:38:10,290
work two, five, you're on if you unmute.

477
00:38:10,290 --> 00:38:10,770
There we go.

478
00:38:11,070 --> 00:38:12,010
Can you hear me?

479
00:38:12,110 --> 00:38:12,850
Can you hear me?

480
00:38:14,010 --> 00:38:14,270
Okay.

481
00:38:14,570 --> 00:38:14,890
Great.

482
00:38:15,690 --> 00:38:17,450
It's Rishia Candidate Capaciris.

483
00:38:17,510 --> 00:38:18,570
Not my husband, Alex.

484
00:38:18,770 --> 00:38:19,690
Different people.

485
00:38:21,250 --> 00:38:25,450
So a lot of people have yes spoken with regards to Terry Conner's

486
00:38:25,450 --> 00:38:25,570
Rink.

487
00:38:25,690 --> 00:38:28,290
I think you feel the love that we have.

488
00:38:28,670 --> 00:38:31,390
And you probably feel the frustration that we have too.

489
00:38:31,690 --> 00:38:36,890
Because we have been trying to do everything we can from all the point of view

490
00:38:36,890 --> 00:38:40,290
to help keep our rank where it should be in the shape

491
00:38:40,290 --> 00:38:43,510
that it should be meaning the communities rank.

492
00:38:43,970 --> 00:38:48,070
This municipal gem, we raise our rates, something.

493
00:38:48,310 --> 00:38:50,650
I'm present and we asked, we went to our members

494
00:38:50,650 --> 00:38:53,850
and then we went to the city and then we made these moves.

495
00:38:54,310 --> 00:38:57,670
That stretched us, we also knew that we had to do something

496
00:38:57,670 --> 00:39:01,230
to help with the situation that this rank

497
00:39:01,230 --> 00:39:03,250
finds itself in with the city.

498
00:39:03,470 --> 00:39:05,010
If it's all about revenue,

499
00:39:05,010 --> 00:39:09,430
because it really starts to seem like that's what it is, it's all about revenue.

500
00:39:09,870 --> 00:39:13,230
Well, there are plenty of revenue opportunities for Terry Connors without selling out the

501
00:39:13,230 --> 00:39:18,270
facility to a private entity. There's promoting based-side use, marketing for adult senior

502
00:39:18,270 --> 00:39:24,130
use, making improvements for use as an on and off-ice training facility, school field trips,

503
00:39:24,210 --> 00:39:28,870
the use of temporary boards for use as a type of convention center, other sporting events outside

504
00:39:28,870 --> 00:39:34,690
of hockey that use the ice, plenty of options, you simply have to want to do them.

505
00:39:35,270 --> 00:39:39,750
So, the city, I'm sorry, I don't feel has done its due diligence from an executive

506
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:06,220
This was what they've been given, but when they haven't been given everything they need, they can only do so much.

507
00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:19,660
Every single building in this city eventually has to deal with capital projects, and yet the city struggles with dealing with the future planning of the capital projects, hence our public schools.

508
00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:27,060
They're in this array because no one did what was necessary for the capital issues that they are now dealing with.

509
00:40:27,060 --> 00:40:30,500
The public worker shouldn't be the scapegoats for bad decision-making.

510
00:40:31,720 --> 00:40:35,460
We've already discussed, for example, money that has been that was bonded that the

511
00:40:35,460 --> 00:40:39,560
strength is supposed to have to do work and they can't do the work because they don't

512
00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:40,760
have the money.

513
00:40:41,460 --> 00:40:45,560
Stanford is supposed to be the city that works and the city that works should make the community

514
00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:46,880
to bring work.

515
00:40:47,140 --> 00:40:52,560
If you privatize it, you are going to shut down a whole slew of people that love this

516
00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:56,560
that use this drink, that live in this drink as their second home,

517
00:40:57,020 --> 00:40:58,940
Stanford sharks of which I am now a part of.

518
00:40:58,980 --> 00:41:01,800
I am a track and field girl, Hockey was not my world at all,

519
00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:04,160
and I married a Canadian and now look at me.

520
00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:05,520
So this is what happens.

521
00:41:07,940 --> 00:41:10,180
And my son and my husband, and I love it out here,

522
00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:11,400
and my daughter's been a start.

523
00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:12,900
You privatize this drink.

524
00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:17,260
You're going to take away something that you're not going to be able to get back.

525
00:41:17,380 --> 00:41:19,300
Please don't do that.

526
00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:21,540
Please pay attention to some of the options

527
00:41:21,540 --> 00:41:23,040
that have been put on the table.

528
00:41:23,540 --> 00:41:26,080
And this committee needs to get serious about that.

529
00:41:26,180 --> 00:41:28,420
You've been in the inception since May,

530
00:41:28,740 --> 00:41:31,280
and this is only the second time that I'm aware of,

531
00:41:31,380 --> 00:41:32,760
that you guys are really getting together

532
00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:35,520
and you're still just listening to us rather than putting

533
00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:37,240
your heads together as well.

534
00:41:37,820 --> 00:41:40,960
I'm sorry, I sound frustrated because I am,

535
00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:43,080
because I don't want anything bad to happen

536
00:41:43,080 --> 00:41:45,000
with this range by privatization.

537
00:41:45,540 --> 00:41:46,560
We've heard what, let me finish.

538
00:41:48,940 --> 00:41:51,180
I think that'll do it, because my 40-year-old is basically

539
00:41:51,180 --> 00:41:56,180
is done with me. So thank you. And thank you.

540
00:41:58,940 --> 00:42:01,920
Thank you very much. And I have to say that as a Canadian is good choice in

541
00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:03,660
marrying the Canadian. So.

542
00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:09,100
All right, Laura, I think we're going to conclude the public comment section

543
00:42:09,820 --> 00:42:14,760
now as part of this. And we'll turn it back to our meeting.

544
00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:18,800
Okay. Thank you.

545
00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:30,980
As I was saying before we sort of interrupted, I just I want everybody to know that every member on this committee has heard you, the mayor has heard you.

546
00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:37,480
I believe all the board members have heard you have never had so many emails coming from board members saying why am I getting all of these emails.

547
00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:47,880
So for those of you who sometimes think that it's not worth the effort to write a letter or just speak, I just wanted to tell you that it definitely is.

548
00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:55,480
I want to just go backwards a little bit in time and tell you sort of how did we get to this committee and what's going on.

549
00:42:56,100 --> 00:43:04,840
As part of the fiscal 2021 budget, the mayor asked that the drink be moved into a special revenue fund.

550
00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:07,420
And that's not unusual.

551
00:43:07,820 --> 00:43:10,820
The golf course is in a special revenue fund.

552
00:43:10,820 --> 00:43:16,800
It allows us to match the revenues and expenses and to really see what's going on with the rank.

553
00:43:17,720 --> 00:43:25,220
And when that was done, however, for budgetary purposes and sometimes budget is how the city looks at things on its books.

554
00:43:25,220 --> 00:43:28,680
but it may not be the reality of the operating condition

555
00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:29,240
of the rank.

556
00:43:29,840 --> 00:43:33,040
The budget showed an operating loss of half a million dollars.

557
00:43:34,420 --> 00:43:36,520
So throughout the budget process,

558
00:43:37,060 --> 00:43:38,280
which I'm sure you can all appreciate

559
00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:41,920
have been under a country that was just starting

560
00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:43,420
to feel the impact of COVID,

561
00:43:44,020 --> 00:43:48,560
there was a lot of concern about tax revenues coming in

562
00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:50,940
and just how the city was going to function

563
00:43:50,940 --> 00:43:52,560
under a COVID environment.

564
00:43:54,500 --> 00:44:08,340
The boards as they reviewed it in particular the board of finance as a city to explore options with respect to Terry Conner's drink because there was a on the on the books a large operating loss.

565
00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:14,400
So the mayor at that point looked at it and asked for a committee to be formed.

566
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:17,440
And I'm going to quote from the mayor's press release.

567
00:44:18,060 --> 00:44:23,720
He said was that it was to ensure that Terry Conner's rank remains in service and financially

568
00:44:23,720 --> 00:44:25,660
solving for the foreseeable future.

569
00:44:26,240 --> 00:44:31,700
The committee will consider and discuss a variety of options and prepare an RFP for potential

570
00:44:31,700 --> 00:44:37,540
partnerships with rank operators or nonprofits to ensure that TCR stays operational.

571
00:44:38,740 --> 00:44:45,620
I just want to be clear, it was not the intention of the mayor for the rank to be privatized.

572
00:44:46,360 --> 00:44:54,440
I think he knew that the rank at its current rates was not able to support itself,

573
00:44:54,740 --> 00:44:59,660
and he wanted to create a mechanism where we could look at the operations of the rank.

574
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:29,980
hugely helpful towards addressing the problem. And in addition to that, as we went through, although we haven't met formally as a committee, we have worked behind the scenes, individually and sometimes in pairs or triplicates to try to look at the numbers in the that were sent as part of the budget and to really assess what is the operating condition of the rank as opposed to the budget.

575
00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:37,000
condition of the rank. And we have pulled out some ongoing pension expenses that are really

576
00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:41,580
the city's obligations, they're associated with the rank because they were incurred as part

577
00:45:41,580 --> 00:45:48,720
of the rank operations. But really from an operating state, you know, the rank, we felt that they

578
00:45:48,720 --> 00:45:54,260
should be removed. We took a look at the insurance, the city buys, the city ensures the rank

579
00:45:54,260 --> 00:45:57,720
through its overall umbrella.

580
00:45:58,680 --> 00:46:01,020
And so there is an allocation associated with the rank.

581
00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:05,020
The allocation this year was high, which happens to be because

582
00:46:05,020 --> 00:46:08,460
of a settlement, which for an unfortunate accident

583
00:46:08,460 --> 00:46:09,560
that happened at the rank.

584
00:46:10,260 --> 00:46:11,800
And it was not really reflective.

585
00:46:11,800 --> 00:46:15,240
We felt of other area ranks and what the insurance

586
00:46:15,240 --> 00:46:17,620
had caused so we adjusted that down.

587
00:46:18,160 --> 00:46:21,340
And then we also took a look at the capital expenditures

588
00:46:21,340 --> 00:46:29,240
for the rank. And we were, I think the original number given to the Board of Finance was $6 million.

589
00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:36,840
It's down to $3 million. And I think, you know, I for one agreed that we need to sharpen our

590
00:46:36,840 --> 00:46:41,520
pencils on it. Part of the problem is that some of these expenses are out in the future. And in

591
00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:46,520
order to get real numbers, you really have to have drawings and go out to bid to do these projects

592
00:46:46,520 --> 00:46:52,720
which we don't have. So their estimates based on knowledge of our engineering department has,

593
00:46:52,740 --> 00:47:00,860
but they are in no way shape or form of fine, too. So where are we in terms of the conclusions

594
00:47:00,860 --> 00:47:06,840
of where we've come to? And I think that we have a few things that are impacting this drink.

595
00:47:07,380 --> 00:47:13,840
Number one, COVID-19 clearly has impacted operations. We are not really able to operate the

596
00:47:13,840 --> 00:47:20,760
the way that we would in an on COVID environment. That's something that we have to live with and all of the

597
00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:27,000
assumptions and the discussions that we've had internally have never focused on a decision being made

598
00:47:27,000 --> 00:47:31,840
for the rank around COVID. So I just want to make it clear we're operating in COVID but we're assuming

599
00:47:31,840 --> 00:47:43,820
that we're going back to a normal operating situation. We also feel and we appreciate a lot of the

600
00:47:43,820 --> 00:47:52,140
operated the rink and we need to look at our rink operations and see if there are ways that we can improve our performance of how we do.

601
00:47:53,500 --> 00:47:58,800
But I think the reality here is that over time there are significant capital needs for the right.

602
00:47:59,100 --> 00:48:02,620
There are some immediate concern, some immediate expenditures.

603
00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:05,100
We have a roof that needs to be replaced.

604
00:48:05,560 --> 00:48:07,040
I know solar's been brought up.

605
00:48:07,100 --> 00:48:12,940
We are definitely looking at solar, but understand that in order to put a solar roof on Terry Connors Creek,

606
00:48:12,940 --> 00:48:15,600
we may have to do some structural improvements to the roof,

607
00:48:15,600 --> 00:48:18,000
and there is a cost to putting that roof on,

608
00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:18,920
it is not free.

609
00:48:19,460 --> 00:48:23,240
So while there are savings, you can pay for,

610
00:48:23,240 --> 00:48:25,300
there's a capital cost associated with the solar.

611
00:48:26,720 --> 00:48:29,320
And then finally, as we all know,

612
00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:32,340
the rank floor was not put in properly,

613
00:48:32,460 --> 00:48:36,140
there is a $200,000 settlement associated with that,

614
00:48:36,140 --> 00:48:39,840
but at some point, we've put it out 10 years from now,

615
00:48:39,900 --> 00:48:42,740
but at some point we are going to have to replace that floor,

616
00:48:42,740 --> 00:48:47,700
and it would be prudent management practices to reserve to replace that floor.

617
00:48:48,500 --> 00:48:52,920
I want to address the capital because it was brought up to $700,000.

618
00:48:53,660 --> 00:48:57,000
There was $471,000 of bonded money.

619
00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:07,220
And the city in its numbers gave, it's charging the rank interest and principle on 300 of the 471,000.

620
00:49:07,220 --> 00:49:14,320
the 171,000 is an essence gifted to the rank as part of the transfer into the revenue fund.

621
00:49:14,460 --> 00:49:19,720
So the city will not be charting interest on that money and that money would be available if

622
00:49:19,720 --> 00:49:26,060
the rank you do is operations the full 471,000 would be available to the rank.

623
00:49:28,160 --> 00:49:37,350
I think some of the recommendations that have come up are having the committee actively work with

624
00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:05,920
Creating a not for profit like November, or an authority like the golf authority, increasing

625
00:50:05,920 --> 00:50:11,180
some non-resident rates. Unfortunately, 91% of our revenue comes from residents, so it doesn't

626
00:50:11,180 --> 00:50:18,640
have as big an impact as we would like it to. Adding some amenities to the facility and improving

627
00:50:18,640 --> 00:50:25,480
marketing, updating our Facebook page, adding more tournaments and competitions, and we feel

628
00:50:25,480 --> 00:50:28,120
all of these are excellent, excellent ideas,

629
00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:34,300
but I'd like to, you know, in sort of all of the discussions

630
00:50:34,300 --> 00:50:40,420
that we've had with both the Board of Representatives and the numbers that we've had. I think we're

631
00:50:40,420 --> 00:50:44,620
hearing loud and clear and I'd like my colleagues to weigh on this, but we're hearing loud and clear

632
00:50:44,620 --> 00:50:55,460
from the community that this is an asset worth keeping as part of the city. And I'd like to sort of

633
00:50:55,460 --> 00:51:01,820
perhaps we can work with the groups who are speaking tonight and the skating groups and chart

634
00:51:01,820 --> 00:51:08,500
a different future for the rank where there is some sharing of the expenses that are going

635
00:51:08,500 --> 00:51:14,120
to have to go into the rank for the future. These capital expenditures that can be financed

636
00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:19,160
but have to be paid back to the city. So what does that mean that maybe means some great

637
00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:26,880
increases, coming along down the pike, nothing that is throwing extra cash flow to the city,

638
00:51:27,300 --> 00:51:32,140
but really rate increases that are allowing us to put the rink on a footing where there's

639
00:51:32,140 --> 00:51:37,920
a capital reserve and that we can borrow as little as we have to do to keep the capital

640
00:51:37,920 --> 00:51:43,940
expenditures in the rank and preserve the asset. And what I'd like to propose is that perhaps we

641
00:51:43,940 --> 00:51:52,140
back to the Board of Finance who was looking at numbers that at the time were presented through

642
00:51:52,140 --> 00:51:59,280
the budget, but we've now come to learn might be a little bit heavy-handed and to show them

643
00:51:59,280 --> 00:52:07,700
with the combination of the rated creases and the elimination of some of those expenses that

644
00:52:07,700 --> 00:52:13,560
there is a pathway to keep the ring in the city's hands and ask if they would give us some time

645
00:52:13,560 --> 00:52:21,780
to work with the various groups and to try to set the rank on a good course of the future.

646
00:52:22,780 --> 00:52:30,620
So with that, I'm going to open it up to my committee for their thoughts on that type of

647
00:52:30,620 --> 00:52:36,000
proposal where we would work with the groups that use the rank to try to get some

648
00:52:36,000 --> 00:52:42,660
increases over time, reasonable rate increases not heavy handed. And go back to the Board of

649
00:52:42,660 --> 00:52:48,580
Finance and ask for a little bit more time for a business plan to keep the ring in the city's hands.

650
00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:55,160
Laura, can you hear me? Yes, we can. With apologies to the rest of the committee. This is David

651
00:52:55,160 --> 00:53:03,800
Manus. I just wanted to apologize to everybody. I am on the call. I can hear all of you and have

652
00:53:03,800 --> 00:53:11,300
but I cannot join by video. So I just wanted people to know that yes I am here and I've heard

653
00:53:11,300 --> 00:53:14,460
every word so I'll be back in the conversation.

654
00:53:17,020 --> 00:53:20,080
And I believe that Jan Williams is on via telephones

655
00:53:20,080 --> 00:53:21,800
that she is listening in as well.

656
00:53:25,070 --> 00:53:28,850
Any dentists you've got your hand up would you like to open up

657
00:53:28,850 --> 00:53:38,750
the dialogue. Thank you, Laura. So just a couple of observations from my perspective, I want to thank

658
00:53:38,750 --> 00:53:44,230
all the residents and users of Kerry Conner's that are spoken over the last couple of meetings.

659
00:53:45,250 --> 00:53:50,950
From my perspective, and I'm the designated representative from the Board of Representatives,

660
00:53:51,170 --> 00:53:58,070
sitting on this task force, it's clear to me and I think it's clear to a lot of my colleagues

661
00:53:58,070 --> 00:54:05,530
on the board of reps that your voices have been heard loud and clear, and we were faced

662
00:54:05,530 --> 00:54:13,470
with a deficit at the rank earlier this year, and it was the user group seeking back and

663
00:54:13,470 --> 00:54:20,870
proposed the 30% increase in the fees, and that's the advice to me and a lot of my colleagues,

664
00:54:21,690 --> 00:54:26,390
you know, truly the commitment that you have to this rank, additionally what some of the

665
00:54:26,390 --> 00:54:33,870
to doing out at Scalzy Park now, you know, for the reinforces that commitment and, and I think

666
00:54:33,870 --> 00:54:39,370
that's something to be, you know, nurturing cherished and encouraged and, and certainly from

667
00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:06,400
We don't have to rush into anything, so I know that we have capital challenges over the long run.

668
00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:12,500
I think we can get to solutions that keep the rank in our hands. I appreciate what Laura you have done.

669
00:55:12,900 --> 00:55:27,460
Not only here with this task force, but also meeting over several months with the Board of Reps, Parts and Reckon Committee, which I share, and your efforts on behalf of the rank at those meetings.

670
00:55:27,460 --> 00:55:36,460
And I do believe that we can solve this, you know, without drawing any conclusions, I believe that it can be solved without

671
00:55:36,460 --> 00:55:42,140
privatizing this wonderful asset and the amenity that it is to our residents.

672
00:55:42,880 --> 00:55:49,080
And it's my impression that the city goes back to the board of finance and walks through the progress

673
00:55:49,780 --> 00:55:53,560
that we all have made over the last several months.

674
00:55:53,560 --> 00:55:57,200
You know, and there has been some real progress, you know,

675
00:55:57,240 --> 00:56:00,180
hopeful that the bear can convince or lower you,

676
00:56:00,460 --> 00:56:03,800
can convince the board of finance, you know,

677
00:56:03,860 --> 00:56:09,260
maybe to put into bans this request to go out to market and put it on hold.

678
00:56:09,660 --> 00:56:14,900
And I do agree that this dialogue right between the city and

679
00:56:14,900 --> 00:56:18,520
and the board of reps and the major users and that

680
00:56:18,520 --> 00:56:20,400
very specifically the board of finance,

681
00:56:20,400 --> 00:56:25,220
which is where this whole initiative came from to privatize.

682
00:56:26,200 --> 00:56:29,060
I think that, you know, I think we're in a good place.

683
00:56:29,920 --> 00:56:33,800
And we do have the benefit of time given where the budget is,

684
00:56:33,800 --> 00:56:35,700
but we do have capital issues.

685
00:56:36,300 --> 00:56:38,060
But those are a little bit out in the horizon.

686
00:56:38,520 --> 00:56:42,980
And so I do think we have some time here to take a breath,

687
00:56:43,160 --> 00:56:44,740
go back to the Board of Finance,

688
00:56:45,720 --> 00:56:55,660
And think through what the best answer is for, you know, all of the parties, all of the stakeholders here.

689
00:56:56,120 --> 00:57:02,280
And so I'm encouraged by all of this dialogue, and I'm certainly encouraged by the input that the public is given.

690
00:57:02,940 --> 00:57:06,720
And, you know, I appreciate it. And that's it. Thank you.

691
00:57:09,090 --> 00:57:11,970
So should I take my turn, Laura?

692
00:57:12,490 --> 00:57:12,890
Please.

693
00:57:13,210 --> 00:57:13,490
Okay.

694
00:57:14,090 --> 00:57:15,310
So this is David Manis again.

695
00:57:15,550 --> 00:57:17,410
And I am on the border finance.

696
00:57:17,850 --> 00:57:19,770
So when we talked about going back,

697
00:57:19,910 --> 00:57:23,030
I feel like I'm coming around the corner to myself.

698
00:57:23,930 --> 00:57:26,950
But maybe I should put it this way.

699
00:57:28,050 --> 00:57:31,270
If this topic does come back to the border finance,

700
00:57:31,270 --> 00:57:43,910
I, for one, will be looking at a, at the rank differently than I did the first time,

701
00:57:44,230 --> 00:57:47,450
principally for the reasons that Laura laid out.

702
00:57:48,230 --> 00:57:58,030
The numbers are not now what were depicted then, in addition to which Dennis pointed out,

703
00:57:58,030 --> 00:58:06,370
the skating groups proactively came forward and volunteered to spend more money.

704
00:58:07,710 --> 00:58:13,650
So I see a rank that's very close to breaking even on its operating obligations.

705
00:58:14,670 --> 00:58:23,930
We have this topic of what to do about the capital challenges that every building faces sooner or later.

706
00:58:23,930 --> 00:58:36,190
And about against that, we have, I've got to say, a group of people who are served by the

707
00:58:36,190 --> 00:58:52,390
rank who seem to really love it. And to me, that is the mark of a municipal facility or a

708
00:58:52,390 --> 00:59:01,930
I think it's clear to me that for a lot of people, this is a very, very special

709
00:59:01,930 --> 00:59:05,530
amenity that Stanford is offering.

710
00:59:06,270 --> 00:59:22,370
So, I'm looking forward to some good conversation directly with the

711
00:59:22,370 --> 00:59:29,630
I think everyone's sense that sort of later we would do that and I would, I hope it soon.

712
00:59:30,210 --> 00:59:41,470
The only other thing I want to say is that the border finance relates to things in terms of budget and cost.

713
00:59:41,470 --> 00:59:54,170
So the decision we took was to put a limit or a deadline on funding for the rank.

714
00:59:54,170 --> 00:59:59,410
I think that the board members move.

715
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:24,960
I would say it's not for us to say whether there should be an RFP or not, but what I know the Board of Finance is looking for is a plan for the rank to be solvent and whether it's city owners that are not, I would say, not our prime concern.

716
01:00:24,960 --> 01:00:28,800
So, I know which is to say either either outcome,

717
01:00:29,680 --> 01:00:32,420
so long as there's solitude, I think we'll be

718
01:00:32,420 --> 01:00:36,240
pleasing to the board. I certainly hope so. Thank you.

719
01:00:39,480 --> 01:00:42,360
Thank you, David. Anyone else want to speak?

720
01:00:49,370 --> 01:00:53,190
Jen, if you wanted to speak, I, you could unmute your phone.

721
01:00:53,470 --> 01:00:57,310
So, when I see that, we'll know you're, you have something to say.

722
01:00:58,350 --> 01:00:58,870
Um,

723
01:01:03,480 --> 01:01:12,740
if nobody else from the committee wants to, um, to say anything, I guess, um, I would ask, um,

724
01:01:13,400 --> 01:01:13,660
yep.

725
01:01:13,940 --> 01:01:19,380
We did have one, one child who missed his hockey practice and he didn't get a chance to speak.

726
01:01:20,020 --> 01:01:21,020
He wasn't on the list.

727
01:01:21,480 --> 01:01:24,380
He's got to be on it. So who is it?

728
01:01:24,380 --> 01:01:34,300
It was a Rocco, Nuchia, if I don't know if Stephanie is still on, but he wasn't on that list, so

729
01:01:34,300 --> 01:01:36,720
Okay, is someone for the opportunity to speak?

730
01:01:36,860 --> 01:01:46,600
If Rocco or Stephanie can raise your hand or send us in the chat the last four digits of your phone number, we will let you in.

731
01:01:50,130 --> 01:01:52,870
And I don't want to feel like the missile hockey practice, so.

732
01:01:54,600 --> 01:02:02,780
Well, Laura, maybe I don't know what else is on the agenda per se, but can we talk about

733
01:02:02,780 --> 01:02:03,380
next steps?

734
01:02:04,100 --> 01:02:07,000
I think we're on the phone listening, rather.

735
01:02:07,740 --> 01:02:07,940
Right.

736
01:02:08,640 --> 01:02:21,620
Now, I think from my standpoint, I can delve into numbers a little bit or not, but the

737
01:02:21,620 --> 01:02:49,220
The rank with the increases that were generously offered by the Skating Groups this year, again not, we're throwing COVID out the door for purposes of our analysis. This year, if we were operating in a normal environment, we would be breaking even making a small approximately $50,000 profit at the end of the year after debt service and all its all to get all the ring obligations.

738
01:02:50,800 --> 01:03:00,440
So the challenge, we know over time some of the operating expenses will increase, so you know that number would go down if we didn't have rating increases.

739
01:03:01,340 --> 01:03:10,700
But the challenge is really when we start getting into the roof and later on sort of building reserves for a rank floor.

740
01:03:10,700 --> 01:03:20,660
We have to have money coming in some way shape or form from revenue or operating savings in order to cover those.

741
01:03:21,760 --> 01:03:31,760
So, I think what I would like to propose as our next step is the date of the exception of you and I know you've spent a lot of time with me going over numbers.

742
01:03:32,520 --> 01:03:46,880
But I'd like to have as an extent go to the board of finance and walk through, again, all of the work that we've done on the rank with the numbers.

743
01:03:47,180 --> 01:03:51,920
I'd like to reiterate to them the amount of public support that there's been.

744
01:03:52,200 --> 01:03:58,320
Although I think most of the letters have copied the board of finance members, as well as so they have seen it firsthand.

745
01:03:59,580 --> 01:04:05,200
And see, get some direction from them as to which way we want to do, which way they want

746
01:04:05,200 --> 01:04:06,040
us to go.

747
01:04:06,900 --> 01:04:12,780
And then come back and reconvene as a committee to talk about what our next steps are.

748
01:04:13,220 --> 01:04:17,940
So if I can just ask for a show of support for those steps or if anybody before I do that,

749
01:04:18,060 --> 01:04:21,400
if does anyone feel that there are more steps that we should do before the Board of

750
01:04:21,400 --> 01:04:21,680
Announce.

751
01:04:23,780 --> 01:04:27,400
I think one of the things we should look at, you know, as I said, we go through the numbers

752
01:04:27,400 --> 01:04:33,420
is we need to really touch on the operational side of how the drink is operating, and because

753
01:04:33,420 --> 01:04:37,700
that's going to really influence the numbers over the next couple of years, because if we are

754
01:04:37,700 --> 01:04:44,060
talking about increasing, I think you heard from the public very adamantly, you know, if the cost,

755
01:05:00,000 --> 01:05:25,760
Where the costs were not out, you know, basically pricing out the people that use this rank, typically municipal ranks are at a much lower rate, you know, when I was talking with my father who has run ranks builds ranks and everything else in Canada, when I told him that, you know, the price of ice was almost $400 an hour, he sort of spit out his coffee, he has typically, you know, most ranks are coming in around 200 to $250 an hour.

756
01:05:25,760 --> 01:05:30,280
And so I think in terms of, we need to do sort of that full evaluation,

757
01:05:31,440 --> 01:05:35,480
legally on how this rank has been operated on every aspect of this.

758
01:05:37,880 --> 01:05:39,740
Thank you for that.

759
01:05:40,320 --> 01:05:42,180
Anybody else?

760
01:05:42,780 --> 01:05:45,140
Before, I also, I'm sorry, Jen's going to.

761
01:05:45,140 --> 01:05:57,660
Yeah, I certainly concur with what Thomas says about the

762
01:05:57,660 --> 01:06:06,320
I know we've spent a few months on this over the last few months to raise the rates and we've talked

763
01:06:06,320 --> 01:06:12,060
up perfectly about some of the expenses and I do know there's an appetite on the partner at

764
01:06:12,060 --> 01:06:16,520
committee of the board reps to go back in and scrub those operating numbers a little bit more.

765
01:06:16,760 --> 01:06:24,040
So I would concur that it's a good opportunity now and we've kind of seen our way through the

766
01:06:24,040 --> 01:06:28,760
into an opening to focus in on somebody or a profit and loss

767
01:06:28,760 --> 01:06:33,620
side of it, so we know what we're really dealing with this far as,

768
01:06:33,620 --> 01:06:36,740
you know, potential revenue increases, but also, you know,

769
01:06:36,840 --> 01:06:38,860
some of the operating costs as well.

770
01:06:40,360 --> 01:06:47,220
Let me just, let me just add to the right order of those

771
01:06:47,220 --> 01:06:50,860
things is to scrub first and approach the board to find the

772
01:06:54,360 --> 01:07:02,900
Well, wait a minute, I don't know if that makes total sense. It's not going to get onto

773
01:07:02,900 --> 01:07:12,340
the Order of Refsigenda probably until November. And right now, Laura, you can go to

774
01:07:12,340 --> 01:07:18,880
the board of finance and speak to the fact that what was presented earlier in the year with

775
01:07:18,880 --> 01:07:22,400
half a million dollar deficit, no longer exists.

776
01:07:23,060 --> 01:07:25,080
And it was that half a million dollar deficit

777
01:07:25,080 --> 01:07:28,940
that drove this effort to find a private group.

778
01:07:29,620 --> 01:07:31,760
That deficit no longer exists.

779
01:07:32,080 --> 01:07:38,840
We have to script numbers, but that's not the major point.

780
01:07:39,020 --> 01:07:41,060
The major point was we've avoided now.

781
01:07:41,260 --> 01:07:44,740
That deficit we have shown that a couple hundred thousand dollars

782
01:07:44,740 --> 01:07:47,000
of expenses should not have been in the PNL.

783
01:07:47,000 --> 01:07:50,060
We have shown that the revenues were increased.

784
01:07:50,940 --> 01:07:53,140
I think that Board of Direction, a Board of Financial,

785
01:07:53,220 --> 01:07:56,700
now that sooner, to scrub numbers with the city

786
01:07:56,700 --> 01:08:01,020
and look at revenue projections and potential to increase them.

787
01:08:01,440 --> 01:08:04,080
That's not a something that we're going to do

788
01:08:04,080 --> 01:08:05,680
and then come back to the Board of Finance.

789
01:08:05,700 --> 01:08:09,500
That's going to be a process that's going to happen over several months.

790
01:08:10,280 --> 01:08:16,160
And so given the timing of what the Board of Finance did relative to equal 30th

791
01:08:16,160 --> 01:08:22,240
March 30th, whatever the 9 months was, I think it's more prudent to go back now and

792
01:08:22,920 --> 01:08:29,420
and inform them that we are and in the task force and in the Board of Reps continuing to look at those numbers.

793
01:08:30,980 --> 01:08:34,460
I just want to add, because I've spent too much time with the numbers.

794
01:08:35,940 --> 01:08:42,360
They've been scrubbed pretty hard. I mean, we can argue whether the way that the city accounts for things

795
01:08:42,360 --> 01:08:49,620
allocates things as right or wrong compared to what a private owner might do. But the city does

796
01:08:49,620 --> 01:08:58,160
have certain cost and expenses. Our labor costs are high and our benefit costs are high.

797
01:08:58,460 --> 01:09:04,260
These are things that are real and if a independent operator were running the rank,

798
01:09:04,820 --> 01:09:09,560
they would not be subject to the same collective bargaining agreements that we are.

799
01:09:09,560 --> 01:09:13,180
And their labor costs probably would be less.

800
01:09:13,360 --> 01:09:15,520
We can go through sort of item by item.

801
01:09:16,220 --> 01:09:20,360
But I think without shifts in the operate,

802
01:09:20,540 --> 01:09:25,640
the way that we operate, we're really not going to be able

803
01:09:25,640 --> 01:09:31,100
to save money on the city side over what we have.

804
01:09:31,640 --> 01:09:35,940
And I'm happy to discuss any number on the table.

805
01:10:00,000 --> 01:10:26,220
Members of the rank. Where I'm less comfortable is the future capital expenditures. I think we've identified the items that we're aware of. We just really are in a bit of a ballpark on the estimates of the cost because we haven't bid them yet. I'm not really sure going through the process again is going to yield a significant change. I think we have had a seismic change with the rate increase.

806
01:10:27,400 --> 01:10:41,100
And I think that it is worth going back and having the discussion worst case support can send us back again to scrub numbers or to go through committees or whatnot.

807
01:10:41,640 --> 01:10:46,480
I do think it's a good time to get on agendas if we can.

808
01:10:56,710 --> 01:11:05,230
David, since you're our board of finance member are you comfortable with us putting ourselves on your agenda for the next available time.

809
01:11:05,230 --> 01:11:31,150
For me, this member of the group, yeah, I mean, sure, I think, throughout this process, I've tried to put forward the idea that it's a small number in this conversation is always better than a big number, but what's really important is that we have confidence in the numbers.

810
01:11:31,150 --> 01:11:37,690
So if you say that they looked at carefully,

811
01:11:38,510 --> 01:11:42,430
that of course, then let's have that conversation,

812
01:11:43,650 --> 01:11:50,070
is I think everybody involved, including the people

813
01:11:50,070 --> 01:11:52,410
who use the rank and support the rank,

814
01:11:52,730 --> 01:11:56,010
what I have of degree of confidence that the numbers

815
01:11:56,010 --> 01:11:58,910
we're talking about are real.

816
01:11:58,910 --> 01:12:05,790
And I, for one, feel that the work that the city's done has got a long way to making them real.

817
01:12:06,430 --> 01:12:07,890
So, yeah.

818
01:12:10,420 --> 01:12:13,380
One thing before we vote to move forward to the Board of Finance,

819
01:12:13,380 --> 01:12:20,020
I just wanted to point out, one of the speakers had said that Ken Smith should be involved in the process.

820
01:12:20,120 --> 01:12:26,700
And I want to thank Ken and Laura Bono because without them we would not have gotten where we are.

821
01:12:26,700 --> 01:12:32,160
we have worked, I have worked very collaboratively with both of them and they have been extremely

822
01:12:32,160 --> 01:12:39,060
forthcoming. They've offered four great suggestions and been extraordinarily helpful

823
01:12:39,060 --> 01:12:45,860
and very passionate also about the ring. So I just want to thank both of them and want the

824
01:12:45,860 --> 01:12:53,540
public to know that they are there fighting for you and are big big fans of Terry Contersrank

825
01:12:53,540 --> 01:12:55,220
and it's staying in city's hands.

826
01:12:56,780 --> 01:13:00,280
So I guess I'd just ask everybody by way of vote.

827
01:13:00,720 --> 01:13:02,900
Can we move forward to the Board of Finance

828
01:13:03,360 --> 01:13:05,800
at its next available meeting?

829
01:13:06,920 --> 01:13:09,080
I'll just call out because we're in a Zoom

830
01:13:09,080 --> 01:13:11,860
and it's a little difficult to raise hands.

831
01:13:12,100 --> 01:13:14,320
Chris, are you on board with that?

832
01:13:14,640 --> 01:13:15,040
Crystal Sabah?

833
01:13:20,870 --> 01:13:24,730
Yes, I have on mute, sorry, I have on board with that.

834
01:13:24,890 --> 01:13:26,390
Thank you, Tom's men.

835
01:13:27,070 --> 01:13:28,070
Yes, I'm on board with that.

836
01:13:28,070 --> 01:13:43,050
Dennis Mahoney. I think that's a good idea. I'm going to skip over Catherine Emmett because technically she's not on the committee, but I appreciate very much for being here David Manis. Yes, and Jan, I think, what does it tell me to store six to unmute.

837
01:13:43,350 --> 01:13:43,830
Correct.

838
01:13:44,810 --> 01:13:46,170
get you down mute.

839
01:13:58,680 --> 01:14:03,280
Okay? We are not. The phones are sometimes challenging on a Zoom call,

840
01:14:03,500 --> 01:14:11,380
but I'm going to assume text me if you have a no or a yes and we're going to assume

841
01:14:11,380 --> 01:14:19,440
that you're a yes and so with that, once again, thank you everybody. I know two meetings.

842
01:14:19,580 --> 01:14:24,320
I know nighttime meetings is never a good time to plan meeting. We're all doing the best that we can.

843
01:14:24,320 --> 01:14:26,860
but thank you all very much for participating,

844
01:14:27,960 --> 01:14:31,100
and for all of your support of the rank and the process.

845
01:14:32,260 --> 01:14:36,780
And I have, I think, now 160 email addresses.

846
01:14:37,360 --> 01:14:39,400
So I will continue to keep you posted.

847
01:14:40,400 --> 01:14:42,660
We are posting on the SageWeb site.

848
01:14:42,880 --> 01:14:45,600
It's a little bit challenging sometimes to find these things,

849
01:14:46,820 --> 01:14:50,160
but we will continue to post on the web.