Niles looking at leasing money-losing center, removing Infante name

NILES

Carmen Vivolo, the city’s park and recreation director, revealed he has had conversations with two different parties that have expressed interest in leasing the city’s money-losing Wellness Center in Waddell Park.

Vivolo’s comments came during a committee meeting Tuesday attended by city council to discuss drafting a three-year lease to stop the financial bleeding that has contributed to the city’s fiscal emergency.

“I gave them a total of $240,000 and they didn’t bat an eye,” Vivolo said. “They’re still interested.

“The center brought in $315,000 [yearly revenue] but spent at least $500,000, so you’re in the hole by $200,000,” said attorney Douglas Neuman, a former Niles law director who has been hired by council to draft a lease to take operations and related costs out of the city’s hands.

“There should be no city employees … and no [city] maintenance,” Neuman told council. Vivolo said the city spent $117,000 on contracted temporary labor, an expenditure that a lease would eliminate.

Council has asked Neuman to prepare a draft of the lease by Friday.

The building bears the name of former Mayor Ralph Infante, and Marchese inquired about the possibility of removing it. Infante was recently indicted on 56 counts including bribery.

Read more about the matter in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.