Ski hill request premature, Boldt says

Committing $150,000 to the volunteer “dream team” that wants to run Jack Pine Hill is “premature,” Coun. Maureen Boldt says.

Boldt was the only councilor Monday night to vote against forwarding, in principle, the money to the unidentified team.

My dream team
Marc Charron, chairman of the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority, informed council about the group’s desire to take over the ski hill.

“They are community leaders with business and mechanical experience, nothing shy of stellar,” Charron said.

“Their ability to do this is beyond my wildest expectations, so it’s my dream team.”

The team came forward after a Request for Proposals from the authority to run the ski hill yielded not a single offer.

Business plan
Charron then asked council for the $150,000 to help the team, adding any money not used would be put in a ski hill reserve fund.

A motion by Coun. Dave Mendicino, seconded by Coun. Peter Chirico, came forth near the end of the meeting approving the request, in principle, based on seeing a business plan and recommendations from a report from city administrator David Linkie.

But Boldt said she wouldn’t be supporting it, in part because city council had asked the authority to call for a forensic audit of its finances and a judicial inquiry, something the authority, so far, has not done.

Premature
Boldt had also asked Mayor Vic Fedeli to declare Mendocino's motion out of order because proper protocol hadn't been followed in bringing it to council.

Fedeli declined, saying he's been flexible in giving councilors leeway with motions when flexibility was needed.

The authority has a debt of $5.4 million.

“They are requesting another $150,000 commitment from us by an invisible board that hasn’t been formed yet with no documentation or report in front of us, and I think it’s premature,” Boldt said.

Concerned
The community and taxpayers, Boldt said, want answers about the conservation authority.

“They don’t want to be told this is to be approved in principle, they want answers. They want to know what happened, where the money went, who spent it and we’re not getting that from the current board, and that’s what I’m concerned about.”

Fedeli told Boldt council was not making a financial commitment but allowing the group to create a business plan "knowing their $150,000 from the if their plan is accepted. If it isn’t accepted there's no money. It's pretty simple."