Alderman David Mitchell said at Monday’s council meeting he was concerned with the relationship between Parks and the Community Center, and the new development of Parks being involved with the Community Center greenhouse brought up his concerns again. He pointed out that council approved his motion on Jan. 8 for the city to suspend all dealings with the Community Center Foundation until the city performed due diligence regarding the Foundation’s finances and other considerations. Although the reason for his motion had been made because of the possible lease of meeting space at the Community Center, it applied to the greenhouse as well.
Alderman Kristi Kendrick repeated her issue with government funds being used for the benefit of a private entity.
Parks Director Justin Huss explained Parks had money in its budget for construction of a greenhouse, however, when the Community Center got a grant for a greenhouse, he saw it as an opportunity to save Parks money. The arrangement as he envisioned it would be for his gardener to drop by the greenhouse occasionally to see if everything was working, and Parks along with any number of other groups such as the Native Plant Society would use the space. No details have been developed.
Kendrick saw the time spent by Parks staff at the greenhouse as possibly inappropriate use of the LLCP tax money. Huss was clear he has experience accounting for funds, and takes the responsibility seriously for ethical and professional reasons.
Alderman Terry McClung wanted a compromise, so he moved to allow the Foundation and Parks to continue working out an arrangement on the greenhouse with oversight by the mayor. Council voted 5-1, Kendrick voting No, to allow Huss to return in one month with a draft Memorandum of Understanding for the role Parks staff would have in the new greenhouse at the Community Center.