Council clears $550,000 plan for community center upgrades; divider‑wall replacement to be bid as manual option

The Fountain Hills Town Council voted to move forward with a package of community center improvements that staff estimates at $550,000, approving immediate purchases and directing staff to seek additional competitive bids and a lower‑cost manual divider‑wall option.

The approved package includes: replacement of the ballroom divider walls (the largest cost item), motorized blinds for the south lobby, new slow‑speed high‑volume ceiling fans for the lobby, and interior lighting upgrades. Director Kevin Snipes told council the divider walls are about 26 years old and beginning to fail, with multiple recent incidents of panels coming off their tracks.

Why it matters: The ballroom in the community center is often reconfigured multiple times per day for meetings and events. Staff said a catastrophic failure of the divider system would force cancellations and disrupt revenue‑generating events; council members cited both operational needs and high current maintenance calls for vendors.

Cost and scope details: Snipes presented an overall cost estimate of $550,000; speakers questioned individual line items. A resident speaker, Barry Wolborski, and several council members pressed staff on whether the town could replace hardware only, retain the existing frames, or choose manual rather than motorized operation to save money. Staff said motorized systems increase costs because of wiring and integration into building controls, and that labor raises pricing when work occurs at the required heights. Staff also said manual systems are feasible and would likely reduce cost by roughly $100,000, although exact savings will depend on bids.

Council direction and vote: Council approved moving forward with lighting, motorized blinds, and lobby fans and directed staff to pursue additional competitive bids and to price a manual divider‑wall alternative before final contracting. The council’s motion included authorization to proceed within existing CIP funding and to return updates through the CIP process; the motion passed on a 7‑0 roll call.

Timing and warranty: Staff said the project is on a tight schedule tied to fiscal‑year timing with an installation window targeted before July 1. Snipes reported the divider walls have an expected life of roughly 25 years and that the selected vendor is expected to provide a two‑year warranty for new work; staff will continue negotiating to reduce total cost.

Next steps: Staff will solicit additional bids (including non‑IGA contractors) for blinds, fans, lighting and divider options, pursue the manual option pricing, and report back to council as part of CIP updates. Installation scheduling is targeted to minimize disruption during lower‑use summer months.