Community center plans still alive, just slow to grow

Negotiations on two fronts have joined forces to slow the birth of a community center that Greencastle officials once hoped might be in operation this coming spring.

While acquisition of a site is still being negotiated with its property owners, Wabash Valley YMCA officials have yet to fully commit to their role to operate the community center over the next 20 years.

But work continues in both areas, Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory told the City Council at its recent meeting, reporting he had a productive recent meeting with the YMCA board.

“I did have a very good meeting,” Dory said, “although I can’t say, ‘Yes, they’re going to do it’ because they still have a little more work to do on their part.

“We presented a history of the project to their new board members and had a lot of good discussion, a lot of good back-and-forth in about an hour-and-40-minute meeting. I personally left the meeting feeling pretty good about it but they still have a bit more homework to do on their part.

“I keep reminding people,” the mayor continued, “that we’re setting this up as a 20-year marriage because when we build a facility, we’ll be selling a bond issue and they’re going to be the ones that are operating this. So we want to make sure they’re very, very solid in their long-term commitment to us.

“We have, I think, a good understanding of that.”

Councilman Dave Murray asked when the mayor might expect to hear back from Wabash Valley YMCA officials.

They will be following up with each other very soon, Dory said.

In previous discussions, Dory pointed out the city is hoping to option a piece of property for the community center site, while the contract is presently being looked at by attorneys for both sides.

“We will announce the site once the option is agreed upon,” the mayor has said.

The project would have undoubtedly been closer to reality had the Wabash Valley YMCA not experienced a change in directors. Dory said with a new director on board now, the YMCA group has been rewriting a business plan put together under the old director, Deborah Ringo.

“Had we been able to keep the momentum going that we had under the previous director,” the mayor said, “we definitely would be further along by now.”

Meanwhile, the mayor also reported that the Street Department has been inventorying burned-out streetlights the last couple weeks, compiling a list of more than 36 lights that has been submitted to Duke Energy.

Dory said Duke “will be out to make repairs and get caught up.”

The process isn’t really new, the mayor said.

“We try to do that every so often,” he said. “Typically if people will call in, then Linda Huber (the mayor’s secretary) will submit those through the online system Duke has. Because there were so many, we just submitted a spreadsheet to them this time.”

Duke appears to be changing its policies and will be doing more checking of the streetlights on its own, the mayor noted, adding that he plans to get additional information about the process from Duke Energy Government and Community Relations Manager

Residents may still call City Hall (653-3100) to report burned-out streetlights.

In other business, the City Council reappointed John Garner and Bob West to the Sustainability Committee.

The next regular session of the Greencastle City Council is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 at City Hall.