City disputes Fitness Superstore contract details amid ongoing legal claims

Concerns over missing documentation and accountability took center stage at the Santa Fe City Council's Governing Body Committee meeting on March 12, 2025. A heated discussion arose regarding the city's dealings with Fitness Superstore, particularly surrounding a fitness equipment installation that has become the subject of legal scrutiny.

A representative raised alarm over the absence of signed contracts and purchase orders related to the project, stating, "There’s no signature or date as to when it was accepted." This lack of documentation has raised questions about the validity of the agreements made with the vendor. The representative pointed out that Fitness Superstore has not provided any plans or contracts since they were first contacted in May 2024, contradicting claims made by city officials.

The situation escalated as the representative highlighted discrepancies in statements from city officials, particularly Greg Fernandez, who reportedly changed his account of the events multiple times. "He now recalls... that Jerry Renault had a diagram that was never supplied to the city," the representative noted, emphasizing the confusion surrounding the project.

The representative also criticized the city’s legal team for failing to secure necessary documentation, stating, "You can't prove it... the court cases require a written record." This has led to calls for the city to engage in settlement discussions regarding damages, rather than continuing to delay the resolution of the issue.

In a related note, the representative expressed frustration over the malfunctioning security cameras at the facility, which were supposed to capture footage of the incident but were not operational at the time. "After paying 2 and a half million dollars... those cameras weren't working on that day," they lamented.

The meeting underscored the urgent need for the city to address these issues and ensure accountability in its dealings with vendors, as well as to improve its internal processes to prevent similar situations in the future.