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Pryor Creek rec center board hears scheduling complaint, keeps refund decisions with director
Summary
At a Nov. 17 special meeting, the Pryor Creek Rec Center advisory board discussed a citizen petition about gym scheduling and refunds, emphasized the center's reliance on rental revenue, and agreed staff should develop clearer policies and communication tools; no formal board vote was taken on the petition.
The Pryor Creek Rec Center advisory board discussed a petition delivered to the city council that accused the center of scheduling practices that conflicted with community use, and the board signaled it would leave refund decisions to the rec center director while pursuing clearer written policies.
The petition, presented to the city council on Nov. 4, raised concerns about basketball-gym scheduling. At the Nov. 17 special meeting, board members reviewed staff correspondence and asked whether the center had a formal rubric or written refund policy. Director Mike said staff had sometimes offered refunds informally but that there was no written, standard refund policy in place.
Board members pushed for a clearer procedure to make prioritization and refunds transparent. "I think we should probably do that," said one member who recommended a rubric so prioritization could be justified if questions arise. The board also discussed using MOUs and contracts when renting to organizations, which a member said would help defend scheduling decisions.
The director gave operational context: the facility is open about 103 hours a week, of which roughly 88 hours are available for basketball; the gym was closed Oct. 28 for a Halloween party that drew 408 attendees. He said rental income is significant and necessary to cover fixed costs, noting last year's pool rental receipts and other rentals of approximately $27,993 and $18,569 respectively, or about $46,500 in combined rental revenue.
Board members and staff also discussed how the rec center communicates schedule changes. Staff said the city is building a new website that will allow the rec center to manage a public calendar; Jess said she'd be willing to help manage that calendar. The board suggested setting reservation parameters to avoid last-minute holds and urged staff to respond to Facebook complaints carefully (do not remove posts and avoid negative replies).
No formal board vote was taken on the petition itself; the director said the city attorney had been kept in the loop and there were "no flags" from council at this time. The board recommended staff draft a clear refund and prioritization policy and said it would review that guidance in a future meeting.
Votes at a glance: the board approved minutes from Oct. 9, 2025, and approved the 2026 rec center board meeting schedule during the same session.
