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City Council Minutes <br />August 7, 2017 <br />Page 6 <br />Mr. Panner further stated the arena needed to move forward now due to school <br />district tinting needs with their facility improvements. He noted the activity center <br />options will be brought to Council at a later date. He stated the arena is in bad shape <br />and needs large expenditure repairs. He stated decisions are needed now on the arena <br />so the city is not paying for quick fix repairs knowing a remodel may soon happen. <br />Mayor Dietz stated the newer portion of the arena is structurally sound and should <br />last for many more years. He stated it makes the most sense to keep the current ice <br />sheet and add one more. He stated he is willing to spend funds on architectural <br />drawings but the finished product will come down to funding. He stated he is willing <br />to have another election at a lower dollar amount in November 2018. He asked if <br />there has been any thought of selling the arena to youth hockey for $1. <br />Mr. Portner stated he asked the school district about purchasing the arena and they <br />had no interest. He stated youth hockey most likely would have no interest in <br />maintaining a facility, noting it needs a lot of capital improvements in order for it to <br />continue to operate. He discussed past funding efforts provided by youth hockey. <br />Mr. Pormer stated the arena can be value engineered and the city can get alternate <br />bids for wants/needs but the costs will be approximately $25 million. He discussed <br />how the impacts to tax payers can be manipulated, such as once the police station is <br />paid off, taking those funds and putting them towards the arena payment. <br />Councilmember Ovall expressed concerns with taking these funds from the <br />government building fund for the arena because there could be additional city <br />services needed in current growth areas, such as a fire station on the east side. <br />Councilmember Ovall questioned if the Parks and Recreation Commission endorses <br />the plans for the softball field movement at lion John Weicht Park and whether this <br />move is consistent with the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. <br />Mayor Dietz commented Lion John Weicht Park doesn't get much use for being in <br />the center of the city. He stated the fields would not have an adverse effect on the <br />park. <br />Councilmember Ovall questioned if the park didn't get use because of the lack of <br />investment in it; noting there is high density housing and schools surrounding it. He <br />noted the fields would be a significant investment and questioned what would be <br />better for the general population for this specific park. <br />Councilmember Olsen concurred with Councilmember Ovall. <br />Mayor Dietz noted the school may not be willing to swap the land needed for the <br />arena expansion if they didn't get the fields in the park. <br />Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember <br />Wagner to authorize drafting of a request for proposal for architectural <br />Pn1Enta 11 <br />NATURE <br />