At this week’s council meeting, members considered starting the special meeting at 4:30 p.m., then decided to move it to 4 p.m. to give them more time to discuss the topics.
City Council members have authorized City Manager Paul Lolli to enter into an agreement to purchase the Central Connections property, 3907 Central Ave., for $1.8 million with ARPA funds.
In August, City Council unanimously approved leasing the property for $50 a month through the end of the year to keep “critical services” operating, Lolli said. The center is being run by city employees.
Now the city is purchasing the property and continuing to operate the center until a management team can be hired, Lolli said.
The $1.8 million purchase price will go to the Middletown Area Senior Citizens Inc. to pay off an unknown amount of debt, city officials have said.
Central Connections found itself in financial difficulty after Diane Rodgers, its executive director, was terminated in July. She is under investigation for possible theft, though no charges have been filed, according to Middletown police.
For years, groups have discussed ways to build improved pre-school classrooms and programs at the community center, but the project was canceled due to lack of finances.
Board President Chris Urso said the Middletown City Schools District received one bid for the project that was $4 million over projections.
School Treasurer Randy Bertram said the lone bid totaled more than $12 million, including $1 million in contingency and $600,000 in architecture fees.
He said the district had received $8.4 million guaranteed in funding. The school district had committed $4.175 million, the city of Middletown $2.1 million, Butler County Commissioners $1.5 million, state of Ohio $300,000, Middletown Community Foundation $300,000 and Atrium Medical Center $25,000, according to Bertram.
Three years ago, the architect estimated the cost of the project at $8 million, Bertram said.
Superintendent Deborah Houser said when the plan was designed years ago there was “no clue of hyperinflation.”
After discussion, the board voted unanimously to move the $4.425 million earmarked for the pre-school program to the Transportation Improvement Plan. Bertram called improving the aging transportation facilities “a great use of resources.”
Middletown ARPA funds
Received: $18,925,154
Spent: $3,518,730.32
Earmarked: $14,245,500.17
Remaining: $1,160,923.51
SOURCE: City of Middletown
About the Author
