The fate of the Pleasanton Senior Center remains unclear as the Linn County Commission and officials with the city of Pleasanton try to work out terms of using a portion of the Pleasanton Community Center for the program. (Journal file photo)
MOUND CITY – Toward the end of the Linn County Commission meeting on Monday, March 6, Commission Chair Danny McCullough started discussing things that were tabled or on hold, including the Pleasanton Senior Center situation.
Commissioner Jason Hightower suggested that instead of waiting until the end of a meeting to look at these items that one item be scheduled each week on the agenda. He said that way staff that was involved with that item would have time to get information ready for the commissioners so they could make a decision.
McCullough continued to talk about the Pleasanton Senior Center saying that the newspaper said that Pleasanton was waiting on the commission for answers.
In a later phone conversation, County Counselor Gary Thompson said that the county had made an offer, the city of Pleasanton had made a counterproposal and the county had not given them an answer yet. Thompson said that the commission had not given him directions yet for the answer.
Hightower asked McCullough how functional the building was, and McCullough said the people were eating there every day.
“Do they want to move?” asked Hightower. “Why create a problem when there is potentially not one?”
McCullough said that he felt the building was falling down around them, and he wanted to get them a place of their own where they could have a television and play bingo.
Hightower said he had not been in the building but it looked straight and square from the road.
McCullough said that last year the county had spent $16,000 on air conditioning units. He did say that the foundation was good. He explained that the county maintenance person was going over there everyday last summer to turn on the window air conditioning unit to make sure that the building was cool at lunch time.
But the citizens don’t want to move to the community center, said Hightower.
No, they don’t, replied McCullough. But it costs us either $19,000 or $21,000 to maintain that building compared to paying rent at the community center.
McCullough said that he encouraged everyone to go over there and look at that building.
Thompson asked if a portion of the building could be isolated or separated off to conserve energy. McCullough said that was what they were doing right now.
Public Works Director Shaun West said that he and Public Works Assistant Director Jessica Hightower had a project that they were working on that might offer some options and possibilities on the Pleasanton Senior Center project.
West said that he would put together a packet that will provide the issues versus the potentials and more information for next week’s meeting.