For the week of December 18 - 23, 2002

City should stand by Janss Center commitment

Guest opinion by TOM PRAGGASTIS

Tom Praggastis is a practicing attorney, former mayor of Sun Valley, and a member of the Janss Center Board.

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"Will the Bill Janss Community Center ever be built?" That is a question I have heard constantly since I joined the Janss Center Board earlier this spring. The answer is yes, if we get the unwavering support of the City of Ketchum for this project.

A brief history may be helpful. In 1989, the City of Ketchum asked its residents to approve a bond to purchase the Park and Ride land for recreational facilities, cultural facilities and parking. Ketchum voters approved the $2.2 million bond. As far back as 1995, the city then told Janss Center representatives that the land was earmarked for a recreational and cultural facility, and would lease the land for $1 per year. The Janss Center then hired architectural, business planning and charitable fundraising consultants to begin designing and planning a community center. In 2001, the city reiterated its support to the Janss Center by stating that 1) the land was still reserved for the facility and 2) the city would assist the capital financing of the project.

The project that has been currently designed was in direct response to the support that the city said it would provide. As the city indicated that it would consider providing significant capital to the project, the size and scale of the project reflected that amount of funding. The project was laid out to meet the size and unique shape of the land. However, for the past 12 months, beginning with last year’s election, some of the city’s elected officials have voiced second thoughts about funding the project and, more importantly, about continuing its commitment of the land for the project.

With the city publicly wavering in its overall support of this project, the fundraising campaign has hit a brick wall. The city has cited the Janss Center’s lack of a hefty contribution pledge account as its evidence that there is little support for this project. The city says "Show us" that you have the money to build this facility. In spite of the city’s changed position, we have pledges in excess of $1.3 million. We have also told the city that their support is key if we are to be successful in this campaign. Prospective donors have pointedly asked about the city’s position. Donors want to know that the city is behind this project. So we are faced with the city’s creating an adverse environment in which to raise money while at the same time using our inability to raise funds as the city’s justification to pull its support.

The city is also questioning whether the land should be used for this project. The city has begun to posture that it must consider all other public uses for the land and determine if there are not other, more important city facilities that should be built on the land. The city conveniently chooses to ignore that the land was purchased for the specific purpose of recreational and cultural facilities. Voters were asked to approve a bond to purchase the land and were courted for their support because of the city’s need for such facilities. Since 1995, in reliance on the city’s commitment of this land for a community center, the Janss Center has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on architectural fees, business planning consultant fees and charitable planning consultant fees, all of it privately donated.

We have come to a crossroads with this project. We continue to evolve the project. We are working toward becoming a YMCA operated facility. We are looking at design modifications to include an indoor pool. We are refining the business plan and model, using the expertise and experience of the Y. However, all of this time, effort and money will be wasted if the city is unwilling to stand by its commitment to use the land for this facility.

This week we will be requesting that the City of Ketchum live up to its prior commitment to the community for this land. We need the support of the city if we are to be successful in bringing a community center to the Wood River Valley.

 

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