Park Board To Sue Over Damage To Pavilion
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
City Attorney Mike Valentine attended the meeting and reviewed the park department's current rental lease agreement. He suggested the board file suit for the pavilion damages.[[In-content Ad]]"By filing a lawsuit, we are sending a message that damage to the pavilion will not be tolerated," said Park Board President Bill Baldwin.
Damages were done to the pavilion's interior during a coming-of-age party for a Hispanic 15-year-old girl in March, according to Park Director Larry Plummer.
The party, known as a quinceañera, is celebrated by Hispanic families when a girl turns 15 and transitions from childhood to adulthood.
The pavilion hosts wedding receptions and birthday parties among other events.
The current lease agreement states a person signing on or behalf of the lease agrees to be personally liable for all damages in excess of those covered by the $225 damage deposit fee.
Plummer said labor for park employees to repair the pavilion's interior was estimated at $800 and another $300 for purchases, including a new sink that was damaged and mop heads to clean the pavilion.
He said the group did not receive their security deposit back and were made aware of the damages that were caused to the pavilion during the party.
Besides teenagers, there were adults and alcohol at the event, Plummer said.
Alcohol currently is allowed during events at the pavilion, but Plummer said there have been damages done to the pavilion in the past when alcohol was at events in the pavilion.
Plummer showed park board members photos of the damages that he took the day after the incident occurred.
The photos showed scratch marks on the pavilion's tile, dirt on a rug and spilled soap that was on tile and tables from a dispenser taken off the walls.
Park employees had to repaint walls that were scratched, replace fire extinguisher signs and replace a sink that was damaged in the supply room.
The park board suggested considering adding in the lease agreement a clause about alcohol usage at events at the pavilion, possibly banning alcohol at events at the pavilion.
Park Board member John Sadler suggested a police officer patrol the pavilion during events when alcohol is involved.
"The officer's duties could be not to police the party goers, but police the facility," Sadler said.
Park Board member Tammy Dalton suggested the board seek public input before deciding whether to ban alcohol at pavilion events.
"We don't want to punish those who abide by the lease agreement and need to seek public input when considering to ban alcohol at the pavilion," Dalton said.
Valentine will draft a lawsuit for damages and present it to the board at its May meeting.
The board approved not to sign any new contracts with people wanting to schedule events in the pavilion until an updated lease agreement is written by Valentine.
People who have already signed contracts for events will be allowed to hold them in the pavilion.
Valentine suggested a cleaning list be attached to the lease agreement where people would know what is expected of clean-up procedures.
Park Superintendent Jon Garber said the park department is seeking input from the community at the next meeting regarding the possibility of banning alcohol at Center Lake Pavilion events.
The park board will meet again May 20 at 5:15 p.m. at Center Lake Pavilion.
Park Board members are Baldwin, Dalton, Sadler, Steve Haines, Toby Sumpter and council representative Kyle Babcock.
City Attorney Mike Valentine attended the meeting and reviewed the park department's current rental lease agreement. He suggested the board file suit for the pavilion damages.[[In-content Ad]]"By filing a lawsuit, we are sending a message that damage to the pavilion will not be tolerated," said Park Board President Bill Baldwin.
Damages were done to the pavilion's interior during a coming-of-age party for a Hispanic 15-year-old girl in March, according to Park Director Larry Plummer.
The party, known as a quinceañera, is celebrated by Hispanic families when a girl turns 15 and transitions from childhood to adulthood.
The pavilion hosts wedding receptions and birthday parties among other events.
The current lease agreement states a person signing on or behalf of the lease agrees to be personally liable for all damages in excess of those covered by the $225 damage deposit fee.
Plummer said labor for park employees to repair the pavilion's interior was estimated at $800 and another $300 for purchases, including a new sink that was damaged and mop heads to clean the pavilion.
He said the group did not receive their security deposit back and were made aware of the damages that were caused to the pavilion during the party.
Besides teenagers, there were adults and alcohol at the event, Plummer said.
Alcohol currently is allowed during events at the pavilion, but Plummer said there have been damages done to the pavilion in the past when alcohol was at events in the pavilion.
Plummer showed park board members photos of the damages that he took the day after the incident occurred.
The photos showed scratch marks on the pavilion's tile, dirt on a rug and spilled soap that was on tile and tables from a dispenser taken off the walls.
Park employees had to repaint walls that were scratched, replace fire extinguisher signs and replace a sink that was damaged in the supply room.
The park board suggested considering adding in the lease agreement a clause about alcohol usage at events at the pavilion, possibly banning alcohol at events at the pavilion.
Park Board member John Sadler suggested a police officer patrol the pavilion during events when alcohol is involved.
"The officer's duties could be not to police the party goers, but police the facility," Sadler said.
Park Board member Tammy Dalton suggested the board seek public input before deciding whether to ban alcohol at pavilion events.
"We don't want to punish those who abide by the lease agreement and need to seek public input when considering to ban alcohol at the pavilion," Dalton said.
Valentine will draft a lawsuit for damages and present it to the board at its May meeting.
The board approved not to sign any new contracts with people wanting to schedule events in the pavilion until an updated lease agreement is written by Valentine.
People who have already signed contracts for events will be allowed to hold them in the pavilion.
Valentine suggested a cleaning list be attached to the lease agreement where people would know what is expected of clean-up procedures.
Park Superintendent Jon Garber said the park department is seeking input from the community at the next meeting regarding the possibility of banning alcohol at Center Lake Pavilion events.
The park board will meet again May 20 at 5:15 p.m. at Center Lake Pavilion.
Park Board members are Baldwin, Dalton, Sadler, Steve Haines, Toby Sumpter and council representative Kyle Babcock.
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