Rec Complex Discussions Temporarily Stalled

A discussion on a potential $9 million bond issue to renovate and expand the stalled on Wednesday as city officials failed to gather how many residents would likely pay membership fees in a new facility.

That's because the City of Richmond Heights denied a request for a list of names and addresses of Brentwood residents who use , said Michele Frankowski, director of the . The Brentwood Ways and Means Committee met on Wednesday to discuss the matter.

(See related on Patch: Aldermen Divided on Recreation Complex's Future)

A Richmond Heights attorney said the request was denied because the information was confidential, Frankowski said.

Frankowski requested the list of names because the city wanted to clarify how many Brentwood residents use the resident rate at The Heights. Aldermen and city officials have been crunching numbers for the past few weeks as they try to estimate potential costs and revenues for upgrading Brentwood's facility.

Brentwood also sends $60,000 per year to Richmond Heights so Brentwood residents may pay less expensive membership rates for The Heights. It's part of the agreement that the two cities established a few years ago.

Brentwood residents collectively paid $118,015 in membership fees for access to the facility between July 2009 and June 2010, which amounts to $87,010 less than they would have paid for a non-residential rate.

As part of the agreement between the two cities, Brentwood pays for 2/3 of the difference (the $60,000 referenced earlier) and Richmond Heights forgives the other 1/3.

But Brentwood officials want to audit the numbers to clarify how many residents actually use The Heights - and, presumably, would use a renovated Brentwood Recreation Complex.

The membership numbers could be wrong too, Frankowski said. According to Richmond Heights' numbers, roughly 1,100 Brentwood residents use the facility, but Frankowski fears that people who work in Brentwood—but don't live in the city—have been given resident rates. That's not part of the agreement.

The committee is expected to offer an update to the full Board of Aldermen during the regularly-scheduled meeting on Monday night.