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Approximately $1.5 million in bond money that the County has earmarked for a senior center <br />would be rolled into this and they would find a way to carve out space and complete an addition <br />onto the Sportsplex to create the 15,000+ square feet that was foreseen in the Master Aging <br />Plan. <br />John Link said that the staff is just asking for the Board's approval to continue this proposal and <br />to come fonrvard with a more formal business plan. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he and Commissioner Halkiotis have met with staff and this group of <br />people and they are impressed enough to ask staff to talk to the seniors to see if they are <br />interested. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the idea of putting a senior center with the sportsplex is a good <br />idea, but needs mare Board discussion about parameters. She said that Eaton Vance had sold <br />high-risk bonds to pay for the Sportsplex and the County should not have to pay anything to <br />cover their losses. She would much rather have the Board discuss this a lot mare to consider <br />the use and the cost before sending this to staff. She is very uncomfortable about this. <br />Chair Jacobs said that there has been enough delay and he does not think that there should be <br />any mare delay. The seniors are excited about this. One center has already been sited. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to ask staff <br />to move forward on this issue. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she has never heard about this and she has no idea where this <br />proposal came from. <br />Chair Jacobs said this relates to the ongoing expenditure for the Sportsplex and the staff will <br />come back with a more formal proposal of an alternative way of spending the money that is <br />appropriated in the CIP. <br />Commissioner Brawn asked why it was not brought to the Commissioners last week and <br />Commissioner Gordon agreed. <br />John Link said that they did not have the time to firm up the proposal until last week and <br />tonight's intent was to just give the Board the information and the motion is only to explore this <br />more. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he just heard about this also and he is committed to moving <br />forward with a senior center on this end of the County. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he was asked to come in by the Chair, and this is the last year <br />of their contractual arrangement. This was just a conceptual plan and he remembers that a few <br />years ago Commissioner Gordon suggested siting a senior center at the Sportsplex. This is a <br />quality of life issue for people in northern and central Orange County. <br />Chair Jacobs said that the motion was to empower staff to explore this over the summer and <br />bring back a more fleshed out proposal. It gives staff the opportunity to involve the seniors. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she would vote far this because she is in favor of the senior <br />center, but she does not like the way it was handled. <br />Chair Jacobs restated the motion, "To empower staff to continue to explore this and to come <br />back with a report at the end of the Board's summer break." <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />