RCSC MOVES AHEAD WITH BUILDING Lakes maintenance structure approved

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Article in Sun City Indepedent issue thrown today Tuesday, 09. 28.2021.
FUNDING

RCSC moves ahead on building

Lakes maintenance structure funding approved

By Rusty Bradshaw

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA

Funding for the maintenance yard rebuild at Lakes East/ West golf courses, 10433 W. Talisman Road, received approval from the Recreation Centers of Sun City Board of Directors.

The board approved the project’s $3.9 million budget by an 8-1 vote with Darla Akins dissenting following a lengthy discussion of its merits and questions from residents.

The approval came in a Sept. 20 special meeting after the agenda item was not considered during the regular Sept. 13 meeting because that meeting was adjourned after a new board member was sworn in.


Right after Gene Westemeier took the oath to replace Karen McAdam, who was terminated from the board during a June

25 secret meeting, RCSC board president Sue Wilson adjourned the meeting because of residents holding up protest signs.

Residents during the Sept. 20 special meeting came armed with comments and questions, but according to the meeting agenda could only address the stated meeting subject of considering approval of the $3.9 million funding for the Lakes East/ West maintenance building rebuild. The board heard resident comments for more than one hour before a motion was made.

Those resident comments ranged from questioning the need for a special meeting to address the issue to expressing a lack of trust in the board.

“Before you make a big purchase, you have to decide whether it is a want or a need,” said Andrea Day. “Can we afford it when we are about to do Mountain View Center?”

Michael Windoval said the Sept. 20 meeting was hastily called with little notice, although emails were sent to cardholders signed up for e-blasts 2:50 p.m. Sept. 16.

“Why couldn’t this wait until the next meeting in 10 days?” he asked.

Mike Wiprud, RCSC buildings and infrastructure director, said staff needed to move fast on the project to avoid further cost increases and to get in line for materials.

“The bid we got from the preferred bidder was good for only seven days, which has now passed,” he explained. “Since then, the cost for the steel trusses we need has gone up $16,000.”

RCSC General Manager Bill Cook said the organization had to get in line because of material shortages to ensure they had a good chance of receiving what was needed to finish the project in a timely manner.

Dottie Paradis was concerned residents had not been able to see plans for the proposed building.

“It is important residents are able to see the plans,” she said.

Wilson stressed this project was not thrown together at the last moment. It has been on the preservation and improvement planning budget since 2016. While an earlier cost estimate of $1.75 million was used as a “placeholder,” the project’s scope has grown since then, in addition to cost increases for materials and labor.

“The fire at the South Golf Course maintenance building brought attention to safety so we looked at all the maintenance facilities,” said Jan Ek, RCSC retiring general manager.

The South maintenance building was destroyed by fire in 2013. The cause of the fire was determined to be faulty wiring.

Resident Gwen Miller said she believed the planned construction at Lakes was too extravagant for a storage facility.

Wiprud explained the existing facility has two buildings with a total of 4,000 square feet. The new building will be 12,000 square feet and the size of the yard will increase by 35%. The exterior walls will also be increased in height from 6 feet to 8 feet, and the facility will include a closed loop wash rack that will avoid pollution when equipment is washed.

“We could have saved a lot of time in this meeting if this had been explained earlier,” said Rich Tronovich. “That’s the problem with this board, you don’t want to share information.”

News Editor Rusty Bradshaw can be reached at rbradshaw@iniusa.org or follow him on Twitter @SunCitiesEditor.