I was hoping that I could get some input from everyone.

This week we received a letter that the city is requesting RFP'S ( request for proposals ) for operation of the Community Center. Also we had met with 2 interested parties earlier this year. Neither proposals impressed me enough to consider it. The one firm manages Taylor's sports plex. The representative informed m/c at that time that even he has open ice time that he could not market/sell.

The Community Center does not fund itself. The ice time, pool rentals, programs are not enough revenue to fund all the activties of the center.

Plain & Simple our center is old and does not compete with the fancy centers most cities have. It's difficult for any director to compete with the amenities of other centers if they are just not THERE. So I don't so much think it's mis-management as it is competition amongst better facilities.

So would it be wise for us to bring in another team to operate the facility when they would be working with the same tools as us????

Also some of the concerns were availability of ice time for the high school and for skate company/ice show. The proposals requested options for both. It costs us nothing for RFP's, so it doesnt hurt anything to review the options.

I have alot of concerns. Would we be expecting an increase in the cost for programs to fund the operations of the firm operating the community center?
We are not a wealthy community and children deserve recreation. Would we anticipate lower participation because of an increase in fees?? In turn higher crime and juvenile incidents because they are no longer involved in positive activities?


I need to know what everyone thinks. This is one of those tough decisions that don't have an instant answer from me. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

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I think that the city should manage the Community Center. The name itself says community.

One thing that could help would be for the pool to be opened past 6:00. Several years ago Monday nights were family nights at the pool. It was open until 8:00. My family rarely missed one of these. My siblings live in LP and they brought their families too. That was 10 or more people right there.

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A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.

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Valerie Brady (08-15-05)

6pm in my opinion is way too early to shut down the pool. There are alot of kids that would love to go to the pool but are home with sitters or day care while the parents are at work. When the parents get home at 5 or 6pm, it's too late and that just leaves the weekends. jmo

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Arctic Cat Thundercat Test Pilot

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Are there any grants available for maybe building a new complex similar to other cities? I'm sure people would be willing to pay higher taxes for a new place. It's investing in our city and would attract people with children to move here. How did the city of Allen Park pay for their new place? Their finances are probably worse than ours. How much money is our community center losing each month, year?

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-15-05)

Another idea would be to enclose the pool so that it could be used year round.

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southside (08-15-05)

The building is too small . It supports two sports skating and swimming. Let a management group come in expamd the building to support. Running,Basketball,Soccer,Golf,Rollerblading ,Skateboarding, Fitness center.

Stores that sell merchandise that support the sports,Equipment , uniforms ,leisure clothing.could lease space to cover the costs

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If pro is the opposite of con? would CONgress be the oppositeof PROgress?

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Mayday, I couldn't have said it better myself. You would be a great representative of the citizens, Mayday!!!

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To Ms. Brady for her diligent work and courage!

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Allen Park voted on the new community center. Bean, the people here were willing to pay the higher tax and it should be brought to the voters to decide the value of having a new rec center.

The people of Taylor also have a new rec center. There's was not a cost to the community (I heard). They received gov't monies to build theirs. The reason Allen Park did not qualify for some funds is we were not eligible because of no "low-income housing". That's what I was told in the Clerk's office. No section 8 or trailer courts made us ineligible for some gov't monies, so the balance was put to the voter's in AP.

Also, in Allen Park, our already-being-paid-to-do-the-job managment runs the new facility. Make your public servants do their jobs and stop contracting out your tax dollars!

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This is an excellent thread, Ms. Brady. Asking the citizens for their input is refreshing. Kudos to you!

I would agree with you. Doesn't seems wise to bring in a new team with old tools. Surrounding communities have chosen to build a new facility. There were gov't monies available when this project was put together in AP, maybe your grant coordinater could look into this exciting idea for Lincoln Park.

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TGND you brought up the grant coordinator. I guess I would like to know if we have one individual that does this or it this doen by each department?

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This is at least the second time around for this issue.

Refer to these topics:

http://yourlincolnpark.com/LPSF...read.php?t=2692

http://yourlincolnpark.com/LPSF...read.php?t=2684

http://yourlincolnpark.com/LPSF...read.php?t=2695

http://yourlincolnpark.com/LPSF...read.php?t=2755

http://yourlincolnpark.com/LPSF...read.php?t=3371

From December 2004

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"Sometimes we must serve in order to lead"
by Unknown

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Edited my last post to include a few more topic links re: Community Center.

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Anyone with incentive can look into what grants are available. Sometimes communities have one person who coordinates and looks into these grants.

I know employees that have taken it upon themselves to look into and receive grants in Allen Park for the betterment of the community. Maybe Ms. Brady knows of the normal procedure for Lincoln Park.

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Mayday (08-15-05), Robin (08-15-05)

You are absolutely correct on this. In fact, I had always thought that our City Leaders should snag up Iheart as their grant writer. She would be PERFECT for this.

A large part of our problems with grants is exactly that there is no single person who does it. Each department does their own.

Iheart and I looked into this to the point where we made contact with the contracted grant writer for LP but his hands were tired more often than not because of dept red tape, etc.

IF our City Leaders were wise, they should snag of someone like Iheart to be "thee" grant writer.

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Robbie (08-15-05)

Robin, they don't need to hire IHeart. Aren't the citizens paying enough already? Have your already paid for public servants do the job!

I come from the inside, I know the possibilities. Ask your administrators and city leaders to look into this funding. There's no excuse.

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You are right that we are paying too much for the rewards our community doesn't receive.

The point that I am making is that part of the reorganization of Duchane's should have included two very, very important positions:

1. Business Development (we had a great person doing this but because of politics..she left or so I heard) - This position is VITAL to our community and we should have a specific person that concentates on this only. When we hired Duchane, he was suppose to be doing this....and he hasn't done a thing in this arena. Councilman Higgins is doing his best but we need a person that does nothing but this.
2. Grant Writer - we have had our dept heads and a grant writing firm but our department heads should be concentrating on the services thier depts provide and saving money, etc. not require them to wear so many different hats. It's not ok to be a jack of jackie of all trades but a skill of none....We need specific talented people to get the most that we can from grants.

The issues pointed out above are the meat and potatoes of our revenue...of course we have the property tax base revenue but when we don't see the "get more for less" meaning city services, etc. eventually people get tired of paying the high tax amount for less services and move.

It seem like everytime we turn around our tax money is being spent on luxeries, e.g. moving City Mgr plus another office from second floor to first floor; Consideration of a new electric sign purchase; consideration and expendutures on moving the library and city hall; City Manager salary raises, etc.

We need people that "know" how to do the job when it comes to grant writing and business development. We do not have one single person on city staff that is competant to do either of these jobs.

If our city leaders would figure out that leading a successful team is much better than a losing team then we could be a very prosperous city e.g. people like Iheart in the Grant Writing Role and Leslie Lynch-Wilson in Business development.

Our community residents and businesses have a huge talents for every field.....it is time for our City Leaders to quit the politicking at our expense and start embracing those that know what they are doing...

Their egos are killing this city.

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Mayday (08-15-05)

They need to do something with the community center. We have the worst one downriver. I went to sign my son up for hockey and they told me that they weren't sure if they were going to be able to have a hockey team because kids aren't signing up. Well, then where are all these kids going? Maybe to the nicer rinks with more ice time. We need a change, People!!!!!

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-16-05)

They have, to some degree.

The Community Center received a $200,000+ grant a few years back that was written by Parks and Recreation Director Donald Cook. Most departments know that if they want money for their respective programs, they are to go after it. Like the old saying, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

The city also contracts out with a firm that does grant writing on a larger scale, but individual department heads should still be able to seek out money as well, assuming they know it's out there. I think that is most of the problem. They are busy running their programs and don't always have time to go looking for this and that grant that may or may not be out there.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-16-05)

I would argue that they are embracing those ideas. They didn't have to go out and contract with an outside grant writing company, but they did. They could have just left it up to the staff to do, but they were smart enough to realize that those staff are busy with their daily routines to research grants as well. The grant writing company that works for the city is made up of people from Downriver. They know what they are doing.

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I beg to differ wolverine. If they know what they are doing, why are we not participating in more grants that could help this city.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-16-05)