Eastpointe, Roseville

Rec authority works toward consolidation

By Sara Kandel
C & G Staff Writer

» Click on image to view full size « Photo by Sara Kandel The Roseville Recreation Department is the planned home for the authority, but the Eastpointe center will be used during construction to either fix or knock down and add on to the east side of the building. Photo by Sara Kandel The Roseville Recreation Department is the planned home for the authority, but the Eastpointe center will be used during construction to either fix or knock down and add on to the east side of the building.

ROSEVILLE/EASTPOINTE — Plans for the complete consolidation of Roseville and Eastpointe’s recreation departments under the two cities’ recreation authority are under way and should be complete later this year.

“We’ve adopted our bylaws on how we are going to operate, and we’ve passed the first resolution appointing Tony Lipinski, the former director in Roseville, as the executive director of the recreation authority,” said Eastpointe City Manager Steve Duchane, who sits on the recreation board with Eastpointe resident and former Mayor Pro Tem Veronica Klinefelt and Roseville councilmen Mickey Switalski and Salvatore Aiuto. A fifth member should be announced at the board’s Feb. 16 meeting.

“Our next big thing is to put together the budget for the authority, which will take effect July 1,” Duchane said. “The goal is really to have full consolidation on July 1.”

The consolidation is complicated work involving a new budget, combined programming and a five-year future plan that includes big decisions on the fate of both cities’ recreation buildings.

“We’ve had some initial discussions and looked at three or four budget options, but one of the biggest challenges we now face is that the millage has dropped in value even since the authority was incorporated because property values have continued to decline,” Duchane said.

Local property values are expected to decrease 12 percent in 2012, continue declining another 5 to 6 percent next year and 1 to 2 percent more the following year before finally beginning to hold steady in 2015, according to officials.

For the authority, that means the projected millage value of approximately $1.6 million has already decreased to around $1.4 million — and if future projections are correct, it could be valued around the $1.3 million by 2015.

Even at the projected lowest number, the millage still saves both cities money while allowing them to continue offering the services that they feel attract new residents and retain current ones. In Eastpointe, the savings are estimated at $400,000-$500,000. In a document released by Roseville in December, the city said the endeavor would bring in savings, but an estimate was not yet determinable.

So while the millage still saves both cities money and should provide enough revenue to run the recreation authority in and of itself, it makes decisions regarding the building they’ll use more difficult.

“The other major task for the board is looking at the building needs and the facility needs,” Duchane said. “The Roseville center is planned to be the primary office and place of services, but a preliminary needs analysis done last year showed that one of the walls needs to be replaced, as there are some structural issues that need to be addressed.”

That’s nothing new. The repairs needed to the Roseville Rec Center’s east wall were spoken about openly in council meetings and authority information meetings for months before voters passed the millage last November.

“Repairs are needed, but at the same time, there is some logic to saying, ‘What’s the bigger purpose in this building?’ and asking ourselves, ‘Should we do something beyond fixing a wall and take this opportunity to expand?’” Duchane said.

“There was always a possibility of expansion,” Lipinski said. “We spoke about this before. We either pay to fix it or spend a little bit more to expand the center and with that expand our recreational opportunities.”

Although current estimates on the project are not available, initial estimates collected early last fall and reported at a Roseville council meeting at that time projected the costs for an addition to be about twice as much as the repairs.

“The estimate I received on the expansion itself would be $2.1 million; the repair has been estimated at, if we just did the repair, at $700,000-$800,000,” Roseville City Manager Steve Truman reported last fall.

However, those estimates do not take into account what Lipinski referred to as “expanded opportunities.” With an expansion of the center, the department could offer more services, classes and programs, and with them bring in more money.

If the authority board decides to go in that direction, Lipinski already has the research ready to show them which classes and services are the most popular.

“We’ve done well cutting expenses, and part of that was none of our programs lose money,” Lipinski said. “We know and are only offering the programs that bring in enough people to not lose money. It will be the same, and because of a reduction in property values, we will have to continue to look at programming that way.”

Despite the decision to use the Roseville center as the hub for operations, the Eastpointe facility will remain open awhile longer.

“Everything will go over to the Eastpointe center while repairs or an expansion is under way,” Lipinski said. “We will continue to offer programming there during construction and then move everything back here when construction is complete.”

And while nothing is final, after that, Duchane said, the authority will probably look at selling or leasing out the Eastpointe center.

While their work is definitely cut out for them, board members remain optimistic that the authority was a good idea for both municipalities and will provide for better services for residents of both cities.

“Everybody is still getting the lay of the land,” said Aiuto, who chairs the authority. “There are still a lot of good questions we need answers to, but we’re committed to and confident we will be able to get the building ready for the children and the seniors.”

The recreation authority meets monthly at the Roseville Recreation Department at 18185 Sycamore, just north of 11 Mile Road and east of Gratiot Avenue. All meetings are open to the public. The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 16. For more information, contact the Roseville Recreation Department at (586) 445-5480.
 

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Sara Kandel at skandel@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1030.