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City Council Minutes <br />August 13, 2018 <br />Page 4 <br />over 2 years ago asking the user groups about the facilities, she heard, "We want to <br />be together but I don't want to hear the pool players while I'm doing yoga." She <br />stated she's having a hard time understanding the senior's desire to stay in a building <br />when there are these types of complaints and she wants the users of the facility to be <br />happy. She felt the $1.5 million isn't solving the space issues, the parking concerns, <br />and the future programming needs; it's only fixing an aging building, and because <br />space is a big issue she didn't feel this is creating a building that will be usable for the <br />next 40 years. She stated this past week she kept hearing the Andover YMCA was a <br />great model and she wants to ask the group again: are we doing a disservice by not <br />looking into the YMCA to see if it's an option. She wants to find a solution that fits <br />the needs of the city for several decades to come. She said they've talked about their <br />desired location but they haven't addressed nor presented what the room spaces look <br />like and would like the senior's input on that regardless of the location. <br />Mr. Lorge stated the drawings presented last week for space in the arena were too <br />vague to make any determination and would like more information based on room <br />layout details and what they would be voting for. He stated it's hard to vote on 2,700 <br />square feet of empty space. He requested the council get plans drawn to show the <br />seniors exactly what they're buying. <br />Councihnember Wagner agreed but stated they also need to be careful when asking <br />an architect draw up plans numerous times. She indicated this came up very quickly, <br />and trying to take in the information now of the seniors not wanting to leave the <br />Activity Center, she wants to make sure she's taking care of the entire 55+ <br />community, and she feels they are trying to achieve that regardless of the location. <br />Mr. Lorge stated he wants to ensure the space continues to provide a community feel <br />and shared it was a life -preserver to him when he started attending the Activity <br />Center. <br />Councilmember Ovall stated he is obviously torn and seeing a 67% increase in costs <br />was a shock to him and one that he isn't happy about. He stated he needed time to <br />process that increase. He shared how he understands the fishbowl affect when an <br />environment is too small and limits potential, creating a space that's crowded and <br />unwelcoming. He hasn't been able to get sufficient evidence to see where the senior <br />centers are growing, staying the same, or declining, and perhaps when they decline <br />it's attributed to the area they operate within. That being said, he says they have <br />other seniors that come on board more independent and he feels responsible to <br />cover all types of users. He feels community is also a state of mind and behavior. He <br />stated he is still at a conundrum and would like to continue to discuss and review <br />options. He stated he spoke to four seniors since the last meeting and once he <br />explained more details and answered their questions, they were in support of the <br />referendum. <br />Mayor Dietz stated he is hearing uncertainty from the other councilmembers and <br />stated he thought they were supposed to make a decision tonight. He was concerned <br />with the timeline and literature being prepared for the public. He said he's fine to <br />INATUREI <br />