Civic Center Chairman Goerig Censured - Submits Letter of Resignation
IRONWOOD, MI - Monday, November 16, 2009 - Thursday night, the Pat O'Donnell Civic Center (POCC) Meeting of the Board of Directors was held in the Women's Club Room on the second floor of the Ironwood Memorial Building, 213 South Marquette Street, Ironwood, Michigan.
Oath of Office - Prior to calling the meeting to order, new Board members Joseph Metzger and William D. Lucius were sworn into office.
Call to Order & Recording of the Roll - The meeting was called to order by POCC Chairman George Goerig at 5:30 PM. John Lorenson, acting Secretary, recorded the roll. All members of the Board, except Scott Stephens and Dan Collins, were present when the roll was taken. Collins arrived shortly afterwards. The Board members attending included: Chairman George Goerig; Charles Lotzer; John Kasieta; John Lorenson; Dan Collins; Joe Metzger and William D. Lucius. Representing the media was yours truly.
George Goerig explained that, according to the City Charter, Scott Stephens will remain on the Board until his position is filled. He went on to say that Metzger is filling Jeff Hakkuala's expired seat. Before Dan Collins arrived to the meeting, Goerig announced that Collins intended on resigning from the Board and Scott Stephens was going to reapply for a position hoping to take over the remainder of Collins' term. According to Goerig, Stephens would like to serve until the Center is fully operated by volunteers.
Approval of the Agenda - Goerig explained that "Financials" on the Agenda needed to be removed because the Board didn't receive necessary information from Finance Director Julie Frederickson. Goerig also asked that Item "6b Complaint Letter" be added to the docket. This item was to discuss a letter received from former Center employee and Polar Bear Hockey member Brian Roehm. The Board unanimously approved the Agenda as amended.
Volunteer Labor Update - Chairman Goerig explained to the new Board members that the Civic Center "just squeaks by" financially. He told the members that the Center is subsidized by a 4-year millage. According to Goerig, the Civic Center cannot meet expenses without the millage subsidy.
"Labor is what kills us!" Goerig said. "That's what throws it into the hole." He went on to explain that the Board is trying to develop a plan to would allow volunteers to take over the operation of the Center. During this first year of the plan, many of the formerly paid positions at the Center would now be taken over by volunteer labor. The Polar Bears and the Ice Crystals are being asked to create a volunteer work force. Volunteers are being asked to drive the Zamboni and to clean the Center, for example.
Goerig explained that their plan called for the clubs to come together to form a separate non-profit organization that could take over the Center. Before the millage runs out, Goerig said, the new organization could present a business plan to the City Commission that would allow them to lease the facility from the City. Goerig said other communities like Ontonagon have followed similar plans successfully.
Goerig told the Board that volunteers take care of all of the daily operations in Ontonagon. The city pays $10,000 annually to the volunteers for keep their facility open to the general public for open skating, otherwise volunteers are responsible for paying the bills and generating sufficient revenue to keep their facility open.
Before John Lorenson gave his report on employee labor, the minutes from the previous meeting were examined and unanimously approved by the Board.
Employee Labor - According to Lorenson, the volunteer labor plan gives the clubs a $4 credit for every volunteer hour of labor provided. This results in a $4/hour savings for the Center. The plan is to begin on November 30th. A list of volunteers has been compiled and a schedule has been established for the volunteers to meet with the Center's daytime manager to be trained in for the various positions available.
Lorenson said the volunteer labor force would be gradually phased in. A cleaning list has been established and is posted. Skate sharpening will be done by volunteers, but personnel will need to be trained before they begin doing so. Lorenson told the Board that the transition was moving along well. He said some employees are not happy with the change -- mainly due to the fact that their hours will be cut. Lorenson pointed out that that reason for implementing the plan was to keep the Center operational. He said the Center's debt has been substantially reduced from $150,000 to approximately $26,000. Once the debt is completely paid off, Lorenson explained, millage funds can be applied to needed repairs to the Center.
"There's going to be some bumps in the road here," Lorenson explained. "But I'm hoping we can get through it!"
The Board then had a rather lengthy discussion regarding proper training of the volunteers. Joe Metzger questioned liability in the event that a volunteer damages expensive skates in the sharpening process. Lorenson explained that only a limited number of volunteers would be allowed to do the sharpening, and that each of the volunteers would be properly trained. Lorenson told the Board that a pair of expensive hockey skates had already been damaged by current employees. He said the hockey coaches, in the case of the Polar Bears, would basically be the individuals who will do the skate sharpening. Chairman Goerig explained that it is very rare to damage a pair of skates so severely that they cannot be corrected. Lorenson explained that volunteers will be trained in specific duties and they will be limited to those duties to insure that they are fully qualified to perform the tasks at hand.
John Kaseita asked who was responsible for insuring that the Zamboni drivers were qualified to operate the machinery. Kasieta asked if any of the volunteers had previous experience with operating big equipment. Lorenson explained that most of the Zamboni volunteer drivers have had previous experience operating large equipment. He also explained that the daytime manager would be doing most of the training.
Goerig explained that all volunteers will be asked to sign a waiver relieving the City of any liability in the event of an accident or an attempted insurance claim.
Letter of Complaint - On November 11, 2009, Brian Roehm sent the following letter to the members of the Civic Center Board:
"To Whom It May Concern:
On Friday, November 6, 2009, I was down at the Civic Center watching my son's hockey practice when Civic Center board member George Goerig approached me. He stated that he would like to talk to me about training members of the Polar Bear Hockey Club and Ice Crystals on the Zamboni. After a few minutes of back and forth general discussion Mr. Goerig started using curse words directed at me for no specific reason.
His words were as follows:
'I wouldn't hire your f**king a** back here for nothing! It's a**holes like you that don't give a f**k about this place! You're a no good f**king c**k sucker!'
I took this as very serious harassment and very poor representation for the Civic Center Board. I would hope that the Civic Center board would take some kind of action in handling this matter.
Thank you for you (sic) time.
Sincerely,
Brian Roehm
Former Civic Center employee and member of the Polar Hockey Club
(906) 364-*** - Please call me with any questions concerning this matter."
To make sure everybody on the Board read the letter, Goerig handed them out to the members. Goerig explained that there was a confrontation between Mr. Roehm and himself, and that Goerig used some "choice words" in the heat of the moment. Goerig told the Board that he doesn't feel that paying volunteers to train people is appropriate. The purpose of the volunteer labor force, Goerig explained, was to enable the Center to stay in the black and operational. Goerig said that he was not alone in the use of "choice words." He explained that both he and Roehm were swearing at one another.
Goerig told the Board that he went back and attempted to apologize to Mr. Roehm, but he wouldn't accept his apology. Goerig said he rarely "loses it" but this was one of the rare times he did. He told the Board that any action taken on the matter was entirely up to them.
"Business is business!" Goerig said.
When asked exactly what happened, Goerig responded, "Well, I asked him, basically, about training Zamboni drivers because he did work for us last year. He made a comment that he wanted to be paid to do that! I told him we're not paying to do that. That's a volunteer. You're helping the clubs, and everything."
"Then he got into questioning why we have so many employees." Goerig told the Board, "I basically told him, that's to keep the place going, and we're trying to get the volunteer stuff going. Then he made a comment, 'When we get the volunteer effort going, you may be getting rid of some of them?' And I said, 'Yes, that's the intention!'"
The Chairman went on to say that the quote Roehm attributes to Goerig in his letter was "the truth" and it was "fairly accurate."
"I don't have no regrets telling him that either," Goerig told the Board. "Because he was a half-a** employee last year. That's why we didn't hire him back."
"Well," Lorenson responded. "That's not why we didn't hire him back!"
"It's part of the reason," Goerig continued. "But I don't want to get into that..."
"We didn't discuss that part of it," Lorenson said. "But the only... the one thing that concerns me, George, and I heard about this Friday night at the camp. I've talked to Brian and I've talked to you and, first off, I honestly believe both you and Brian have that place in the best interest. You may not see eye-to-eye, but that's America -- we have that right." Lorenson went on to say that the arguing and the words were not the best way to handle the situation. Lorenson continued by saying that it is important for Goerig and others to realize that Roehm doesn't represent the Polar Bear Hockey Club just as Goerig doesn't represent the Civic Center. The argument was simply between two individuals who disagreed. He said it isn't fair to blame the Polar Bear Club for the actions of one individual.
Lorenson said the incident might have been a reaction to the frustration of Goerig's loss in the recent City Commission election.
John Kasieta explained that he hasn't had much contact with the Polar Bears, except when he was volunteering by flooding the rink. He said he became agitated by the comments he heard from several of the Club members at that time.
"They think they run the Civic Center!" Kasieta said. "It doesn't make a difference if there is a Board or anything else! They are the say so and I've run into this, time and time again! Not naming any names, but it's kind of the... I don't know if it's rule or what it is, as far as they're concerned... that they've got the final say so!"
Lorenson responded to Kasieta by saying that he has had run-ins with some of the members as well, but it's important for the Board to realize that the Polar Bears are the Center's number one customer. Lorenson said there are many good young people that have been attending the volunteer meetings.
Kasieta asked Lorenson who he was loyal to... the Board or the Club. Lorenson said he feels he's been loyal to both.
Lucius explained that he "didn't want to continue to beat a dead horse," but he said the letter was sent to him and he believed that the Board was an extension of the City. He said the Board members should be held to a higher level. He said that, in public, each Board member can implicate the other members with improper behavior. Lucius went on to say that everybody on the Board needs to be mindful of their behavior in public because they were all an extension of the City.
Goerig told the Board that volunteers need to step up or the Center will close. He said there are those that don't seem to understand that fact. He said most of the members of the Clubs understand that volunteer labor is the only way for the Center to remain open. He said the transition is bound to generate some arguments between those involved. Goerig said it is important to keep things on an adult level.
"I broke that level by saying a few swear words," Goerig said. "But then, on the other side of it, you don't go crying to everybody else too, when something like that happens. You try to settle the matter between yourselves in an adult fashion."
With that said, Goerig said he would like to end the discussion and move on with the remainder of the Agenda. He said if any of the Board members wished to take further action on the issue, the should do so.
Dan Collins pointed out that the letter was part of the public record and he said that there were no statements made in the letter that poorly reflected on the Polar Bears. Lorenson explained that his comments were a result of a private conversation he had with Goerig earlier in the day.
Kasieta said he believed that Lorenson was on "both sides of the fence" and that a conflict of interest existed because of it. Lorenson pointed out that just about every Board member had some "conflict" if his assessment were correct.
The discussion then turned to the possibility of censuring Goerig for his actions.
"Does the Board feel that I was out of bounds?" Goerig asked.
"Yeah, I do... with your language." Metzger responded.
"Then make a motion!" Goerig demanded.
"No! I want to finish my statement. Have you tried to apologize? Or have you apologized?" Metzger asked.
"I tried to, and he wouldn't accept it!" Goerig responded.
"Okay, as long as you've tried. Do you feel you did wrong by using that language?" Metzger asked.
"Honestly, no!" Goerig responded.
Metzger said he wasn't taking sides, and that he could sypathize with Goerig. He explained that he coached Little League for 18 years and he knows how people can be to deal with in the heat of a moment. However, Metzger said that the language used by Goerig was unacceptable no matter how upset or angered he became. He said he is in retail sales and he puts up with many comments without firing back. Goerig explained that he was in the service business and he, too, knows how to act with the pubic. Yet, he insisted that he didn't regret his reaction during his confrontation with Mr. Roehm.
"Does anyone want to make a motion to censure the Chairman of the Board?" Goerig questioned.
"Can I ask a stupid question?" Lorenson responded. "What is 'censuring the Chairman of the Board?'"
Board member Lucius explained that a censure was simply a reprimand. He then took the next step and made a motion to censure the Chairman for his actions. Collins seconded Lucius' motion.
"If this goes through," Collins explained to Goerig. "You had attempted to apologize, and Brian has to understand that this is the end of it. Right? That's the good part! If he don't accept that, then it's his problem. It's a done deal."
A roll call vote was taken. The Board voted to censure the Chairman by a vote of 5-2 with one abstention. Goerig and Lotzer voted not to censure and Metzger abstained because he is related to Roehm.
Following the vote to censure, John Lorenson and Will Lucius excused themselves from the meeting because they both had prior obligations.
Appointment of New Secretary - Because Dan Collins was resigning and he was the Secretary, the Board voted to make John Lorenson the new Board Secretary.
Operation Update (Sprinkler Repair Date) - Goerig informed the Board that the drawings for the sprinkler system have been approved by the State. The sprinkler company is trying to coordinate a time to meet with the inspector to proceed the project.
Goerig asked Lotzer about the backflow preventer inspection. Gogebic Mechanical was going to have a boiler repair person do the inspection. Lotzer said he would call Gogebic Mechanical to find out when the inspection can be done.
Holiday Schedule - Goerig told the Board that the Holiday Skating Schedule would be established soon and the schedule will be sent to available media as a press release rather than a paid ad. He reasoned that press releases are free and just as effective or even more so.
Capital Improvements - Goerig said he had hoped Scott would be at Thursday's meeting because he would be able to help go over the Capital Improvement Plan and then get a Board approval.
Reschedule December's Meeting - The Board agreed to have their next regular meeting rescheduled to December 16th.
Public Comment - This reporter offered to donate a computer sound system to the Center. Prior to the meeting Joe Metzger stated that music was an issue he would like to address as a Board member. I told the Board that the DJ program could plan random music or from a play list. The issue was briefly discussed.
Adjournment - Once the Agenda was completed, the Board unanimously agreed to adjourn the meeting.
Letter of Resignation - On Friday, November 13, 2009, Chairman Goerig sent a copy of the following letter to the Chronicle:
"City of Ironwood
213 S Marquette St.
Ironwood MI 49938
Bob Burchell Mayor
Cc Ironwood City Commission
Cc Scott Ericson City Manager
Cc Pat O Donnell Civic Center BoardIt has been a pleasure to have served on the Pat O Donnell Civic Center Board but at this time I would like you to accept my resignation from the board. The Civic Center has many hurdles to get through and I feel I have taken it as far as I can. The Civic Center went from owing $150,000.00 down to approximately $27,000.00 of debt. It is now in the process of going from a paid staff to a volunteer labor staff. In my option the concept of a volunteer labor force is a great idea. In all actuality I do not believe the two ice skating clubs are able to pull it off and be financially responsible to the City of Ironwood for maintaining the building and equipment. With the current Ice rental rates that the clubs can afford, do not allow for the facility to be self sustaining with a paid labor staff without the help of the tax payers. The facility is a valuable asset to the community and is utilized by our neighboring communities but, supported only by the Ironwood tax payers. Without the monetary support from Ironwood tax payers and our neighboring communities I do not see the Civic Center able to be self supporting. I would hate to see the center close but until there is a change in the structure of running the facility the inevitable is in the near future.
George Goerig"
