Arenas: 'Easy stuff out of the way'

Brainerd's negotiations with Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association for management of the Brainerd Area Civic Center got under way Monday.

Monday's special meeting of the Brainerd Personnel and Finance Committee to discuss the contract was one-sided, but purposefully so, Committee Chairwoman Mary Koep said.

"I want the committee's feelings on the issues identified ... rather than a dialogue," Koep said. "Then we'll have something for (BAHA) to react to.

"I wanted to get what I thought would be the easy stuff out of the way."

Those issues included equipment inventory, insurance, employees, scheduling, naming rights and other information.

The committee agreed to recommend to the council having City Attorney Tom Fitzpatrick work on the deed transfer of the Gold Medal Arena from BAHA to the city; inventory all non-disposable equipment at the arenas; and to have equipment analyzed before the management change.

In it's bid to manage the two ice arenas, BAHA proposed no financial compensation from the city for management of the arenas but would want the city to pay for capital improvements proposed by the city. BAHA also seeks to have the city pay for capital improvements needed for certain equipment already in place in the arenas.

On naming rights, Koep suggested allowing BAHA to sell them to whomever they want, as long as Brainerd remains in the name. Committee members Kelly Bevans and Anne Nelson Fisher agreed.

"If they have an opportunity to maximize revenues (with) naming rights ... why not let them do it," Koep said.

The committee also wanted to make sure BAHA hired qualified people to run the arenas, be they the four arena personnel currently employed by the city or someone else.

What will become of the four employees, whether they can be absorbed in other areas of the city, are hired by BAHA or are let go altogether, isn't known. The committee agreed BAHA has the right to hire whomever they want.

"Let's be honest, at least the three that have been there the longest makes a lot of sense" to be retained, City Administrator Dan Vogt said. "That guarantees us a qualified person to operate the facility."

The next meeting between the committee and BAHA is scheduled at 6 p.m. on Aug. 6. Agenda items will include terms of the contract and capital expenses.

Bevans recommended that Fitzpatrick have a contract written by the third meeting between BAHA and the committee so the contract can be presented to the council at its first September meeting.

"I think individual items are easily discussed but not so easy when they're written in a contract," Bevans said.

MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.