Those voting “aye” were Council President Scott Mills, Councilmen Leo Lombardo and Bob Mastrangelo and Councilwomen Cathy Murphy and Lisa Stickan. Here are some of their comments, explaining their decision:
Council President Scott Mills:
- I forwarded to council some 20+ emails that I received from residents. None were in favor of keeping the church.
- The cost of upkeep would be great. It is not prudent at this time. We have infrastructure, sidewalks and a water main we need to take care of.
- I overwhelmingly heard from residents: “Take it down.”
- I appreciate the (written legal) memorandum from the Law Director. My analysis of it is that it says that donations are permissible. But the club (Club Molisani), they want guaranteed usage. They said, “we fix it, we want to use it.”
- I don’t support (their proposal) based on the memo and my legal concerns.
- We (the city) spend $80,000 a year on the Tri-City Consortium, which provides meals 5 times a week and offers afternoon events to seniors.
- We do not need to spend more money for another adult center when we already have a place where seniors can spend 5 days a week—the Community Center.
- The club (Club Molisani) did not agree to renovate the entire building. If they were serious about doing that, they would have said what they were going to do (to the building) point by point.
- With 3 bocce courts, there would not be much room left in the building. I say that, and I’m Italian.
- The Law Director said there can be no “quid pro quo.” That’s what they (Club Molisani) are looking for. To return to them for more discussion does not make sense. I can’t commit to an arrangement that is not lawful. I don’t believe a bocce hall is in the best interest of our residents.
- There would be maintenance costs. There would be operating costs. Look at what it costs to run the Community Center---tens of thousands of dollars a year.
- For 2 ¾ years we have been trying to identify some use, some need for the building. We have found nothing. I want to head in a different direction. My idea, my vision, is to give the property new life as a green space and garden area--in a cost-effective manner, provide a benefit to all residents. It would be a very beneficial thing.
- Once this old dilapidated building is gone, the property will have a new future. We’ll breathe new life into it.
As one very wise and thoughtful regular council watcher said:
Highland Heights is a city of 6,800 residents. We spent millions building a beautiful municipal complex and Community Center. Aberdeen has its own Community Center. Why do we need something else, another building, to service just 6,800 residents?
Why indeed.
