August 4, 2023 |
Photo – Saratoga Town Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo
Tempers flared at the Saratoga town council meeting Tuesday as residents and council members butted heads over recreation department spending.
In Saratoga, the town’s various boards are staffed with volunteers chosen by the town council. To ensure the town knows what is going on with the boards a council member is selected to act as a liaison. The council member sits on the board and: participates in discussion, reports what occurred to the council, and casts tiebreaking votes. Councilwoman Kathy Beck is the liaison to the town’s recreation commission.
During Tuesday’s Saratoga town council meeting, Councilwoman Beck faced opposition from the public and other council members about lunches purchased for last month’s pickleball tournament. Councilwoman Beck, acting in her role as the recreation commission liaison, authorized the purchase of food to sell during a town sponsored pickleball tournament on Veteran’s Island. Town Attorney Kylie Waldrip said, in her legal opinion, the town could not sell items to the public for profit. A $780 contract with a local food truck was rescinded and the operators were permitted to set up during the event. The food truck owner was satisfied with the compromise.
At Tuesday’s town council meeting, D’Ron Campbell said staff at the Wolf Hotel and Restaurant were under the impression they had been awarded a contract to provide food during the pickleball tournament. Campbell said everything needed for the lunches was purchased, but the town refused to take delivery of the food.
Campbell said she did not want to be financially compensated for the food and labor. The hotel manager said she felt insulted by Recreation Commission Vice President Amber Waldron’s response to her concern.
Councilwoman Beck said Waldron had not misled hotel staff. Reading from a text exchange between Waldron and a Hotel Wolf staff member, Beck said a request was made for a bid for sandwiches. The councilwoman blamed hotel management for assuming they had a contract. Councilwoman Beck said Campbell had jumped the gun by purchasing everything before receiving confirmation from the town.
Campbell said it shouldn’t be her responsibility to confirm with the town that the bid was accepted. The hotel manager accused the recreation commission of being run poorly. Councilwoman Beck said there was plenty of blame to go around.
Campbell said Recreation Committee Vice President Waldron insulted her by saying a well-run business should have made sure they had the contract before purchasing anything. Councilwoman Beck said Waldron wasn’t incorrect.
Campbell asked the other town council members for their opinion. Councilman Mike Cooley said Beck should have brought everything to the council’s attention before making any agreements.
Councilwoman Beck said she was in her right as the recreation commission’s council liaison to approve the food purchase. Beck said everything was done correctly. The councilwoman said Campbell was the only person to complain about the process.
Councilwoman Beck said the pickleball tournament was planned before Attorney Waldrip provided her opinion that the town shouldn’t sell items to the public. The councilwoman said the rec commission will change the event planning procedure in the future.
Saratoga Mayor Chuck Davis said he could see both sides of the argument. The mayor said the text messages did not make it entirely clear that the hotel had not gotten the contract. Mayor Davis and Councilman Cooley apologized to Campbell. The Hotel Wolf manager accused Beck of operating outside of established council norms. Cooley agreed.
Campbell said the town’s recreation commission had too much autonomy. Councilwoman Beck said Campbell wasn’t paying attention to what was going on.
Councilwoman Beck said it is the business owner’s job to ensure the contract is finalized before moving forward. Campbell took offense to Beck’s remarks and sat down. Mayor Davis and Councilman Cooley thanked Campbell for bringing her concerns to their attention.
Mayor Davis said the council will continue to work with Attorney Waldrip to determine what the town may legally provide during recreation commission sponsored events.
