Budget concerns limit community center use

Friday, August 24, 2012

By GRANT WIEMAN, Staff Writer

RUSSELLVILLE -- The Russellville Community Center was inspected recently, with mixed reviews.

A Red Cross official checked to the building to make sure it met the organization's standards for an emergency facility, and town clerk/treasurer DeVon Davis said she came away "tickled to death" with the site.

In the event of an emergency anywhere in the region, the Russellville Community Center will be used for aid and housing.

An inspection by safety officials proved less fortuitous.

A leaking boiler was found and the community center is now forced to either repair, replace or shut off the heating mechanism.

Since past repairs have proven costly and ineffective, and since a new boiler costs about $50,000, the community center will shut it down for the time being.

"We just don't have the money," council president Don Reddish said. "As you can see, with everything getting cut, the prospects of getting the money are very slim."

The town budget was cut across the board as funding in the general, motor vehicle and highway, street and capital funds each dropping by what Reddish said were the maximum allowable amounts.

From those four funds, a total of $43,346 was dropped from the 2013 budget.

"She (Davis) cut them where she had to," Reddish said.

There was some positive financial news for the town as well.

The old police car was sold for $580, which will pay for repairs and upgrades to the town's new car.

An anonymous donor pledged $2,000 as a thank-you for tearing down the old hotel last month which, combined with $727 that was earned by selling an old town tractor, means more improvements could be pending, either for the property the hotel sat on or for other parts of town.

New industry has also expressed interest in Russellville.

Cash Concrete Products has inquired about a move to town.

"Their main concern is, can we provide them with enough water? And the answer is, yes," Reddish said. "It will be a very small operation, won't hire more than two or three people I can't imagine."

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This is really sad about the community center! They do such good things there, meals to the public, families use it for reunions, weddings, etc, etc. I remember the days when Russellville main street was full of stores, two grocery stores, two banks, 2 gas stations, a retaurant, a doctors office, a barber shop, on and on and on. Then they closed the school and the town has slowley died. This is like another death! Come on Russellville, please do everything you can do to raise the money to get the necessary repairs to keep the center open. We all need to roll up our sleeves, put our heads together and come up with a solution. This is not just a community center board of directors job or the town board job, this is the job of the whole community (and maybe even surrounding communities) job to see what can be done!

-- Posted by interested party on Fri, Aug 24, 2012, at 7:51 AM
Russell Twp. has always been known to take care of themselves,I'm certain they will take care of the Community center issues also...

-- Posted by kubotafan on Sun, Aug 26, 2012, at 12:03 PM

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