Recreation Board Votes to Early Terminate WSC Lease

In a tense monthly meeting of the Whitehall Recreation Complex Board on Monday, March 27 in the Town Hall, it was voted and approved to recommend to the Whitehall Town Council early termination of the Whitehall Saddle Club’s (WSC) lease.

The motion, made by Gina Ossello and seconded by Tim O’Donnell, came after much discussion as to who owns the property at the Whitehall Recreation Complex was debated, as well as questions to WSC rep Bridge Morse as to whether the property owned by the WSC would remain if the lease was not renewed in 2024, which Morse said she could not speak for the Board but that she believed the items would be removed if the WSC lease was not renewed.

“I understand there’s animosity as to where somebody thinks money’s going to be - over here is getting more or less than over there,” audience member Jody Ryan said. “But I think it’d be really silly to start telling people to take their chutes and go. I think we all have to come together and find out how we’re going to spend this money if we get it,” he said, adding that everyone in attendance is looking for the betterment of the community.

“We’ve beaten this conversation to death,” said O’Donnell. “It’s time to, excuse my language, but someone needs to sh-- or get off the pot. Someone’s got to pull the trigger here and move forward.”

ARPA coordinator and Boulder Fairgrounds committee member Leah Lewis cautioned the board on real property vs non-real property and suggested getting legal advice before moving forward. She stated that the Boulder group had the same “growing pains” the Rec Board is currently going through, and they established that the County should buy the real property, while the Rodeo groups should focus their funds on belt buckles, rodeo clowns, etc (non-real property).

The vote was 6-3 (Maria Walker and Bill Gillespie abstained, and Morse voted no).

IN OTHER NEWS:

•Curtis LaFountaine was voted vice chair of the board. Maria Walker was voted as secretary.

• Ginger Kunz, Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder, explained how the Rec Board could garner monies via a mill levy, but that a county Rec Board would also need to be established, a process that would take upwards of six months and may not make it onto the next election ballot.

She noted that a petition showing the town’s desire for the new recreation complex would need to drawn up, as well as the Commissioner’s creation of an intent to create a new district.

• A sub-committee for goals/timelines, as well as fundraising, was established with Ossello, Walker, LaFountaine, and Logan Reiff volunteering.

• As Black Tie Blue Jeans was on the agenda, Chamber president Elizabeth Pullman clarified the Chamber’s annual fundraiser was not up for grabs, but was being revamped and revitalized by the Chamber. Pullman also noted that while the Chamber and the Rec Board have similar goals - the betterment of the Whitehall community - any fundraiser is going to be a competing fundraiser because there are different end users, which both entities must be ok with.