South Side Rec moves forward

Mayor Scott Johnson, Commissioner of Accounts John Franck and Commissioner of Finance Ken Ivins voted in favor of awarding a $4,997,000 contract to Bast Hatfield Inc. of Halfmoon to construct the facility, while Commissioner of Public Safety Ron Kim and Commissioner of Public Works Skip Scirocco voted against the contract. 

Prior to the vote, Johnson - who has taken the lead on the project since taking office - said it was an opportunity for the council to move forward with the indoor rec center that had been in the making for more than 10 years. He added that various feasibility studies had confirmed the need for an indoor rec facility in Saratoga Springs.

Johnson also noted that the bid includes all the additional items that the city did not know it could afford when they put the item out to bid. The additional items include a geo thermal heating system, air conditioning for the gymnasium, a racquetball court, lightning protection, additional street lighting and trees, an emergency backup generator that would allow the site to be used as a potential emergency shelter and additional wall paneling. 

"The good news is by awarding this bid the city is well within the budget," he said. 

Johnson added that when all is said and done the award would leave a balance of about $1.2 million of available bonding proceeds. He expects some of the money to be used by design services and construction crews, but he does expect to have a surplus once the project is complete.

Johnson said Bast Hatfield is well known in the city as being involved in and delivering some significant projects over the years, including the construction of the Saratoga YMCA and Saratoga train station, renovations of the Saratoga Springs school system and a variety of other projects. 

"The company is well known, reputable and highly regarded throughout our community and within their industry," he said.

While Johnson attempted to sell the construction of the facility to city residents, Kim and Scirocco vehemently opposed moving forward with the facility. Kim cited numerous qualms with the project including the ongoing lawsuit, the poor economy, staffing issues and the necessity for a public safety building.

"If you have the money to build a rec center in tough economic times then are you making a case that you need money for a police or fire station," he said concerning their lobbying efforts for federal stimulus aid. "My prediction is that by moving this project forward we are going to undercut our ability to get stimulus money."

Scirocco also said he thought the city was walking up a slippery slope due to the pending lawsuit and that he was concerned about drainage and infrastructure issues at the site.

"I feel in today's economy it is just the wrong thing to do," he said. "It just doesn't make any sense at this particular time."

Johnson has decided to move ahead with the project in light of a lawsuit filed by a group called The Friends of South Side Park, which lists three reasons for its filing that include the city's environmental review process; an incomplete site plan that was approved by the city's Planning Board and a violation of the city charter for not placing the facility on its six-year capital program.

Ann Bullock, a member of the Friends of South Side Park and a local attorney, said during the public comment period that she didn't understand how the council could decide to move forward with the construction of the rec center while a lawsuit was still pending. 

"The citizens, taxpayers, merchants and voters of this city are watching very carefully what you choose to do tonight, and we demand that you vote against awarding a contract for the indoor rec center," she said.

Johnson said the group did not seek an injunction against the city to stop the project from moving forward.

"I have a fiduciary responsibility to do whatever I can to protect the entire community and all taxpayers, not just a group interested in one location or one facility or one that is against the process," he said. "I must look at the project at hand as one for the entire community."

Johnson said he expects the project to get underway early this spring to ensure that it spends one of its $1.3 million bonds by April 1, in order to avoid losing the bond that expires on that date.

"I did not make these bonds or pass these bonds, I inherited these bonds and having done so I will do what I can to protect the taxpayer and deliver this project that has been long overdue in our community," he said. "We are talking about the youth of our community and we are arguing over providing a better opportunity for recreation and development of our youth based on splitting hairs. I won't accept that."