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Wayne board debates Ladd Recreation Center relationship; delays final staffing decision
Summary
Select Board members discussed a town attorney's advice that the Ladd Recreation Center's hybrid arrangements create liability; the board proposed options including converting the rec center to a town department or having the rec center manage its own payroll and staffing. The board agreed to seek further meetings with rec center representatives before taking final action.
Board members spent much of their Oct. 29 meeting debating the legal and operational ties between the Town of Wayne and the Ladd Recreation Center, prompted by a town attorney's warning that a hybrid arrangement could expose the town to liability without corresponding control.
The discussion, initiated by Interim Town Manager Bryce, centered on two paths the attorney recommended: either the rec center would take full responsibility for staffing, payroll and accounts payable, or the town would formally make the rec center a municipal department. "The current situation is not good," one select board member said, summarizing counsel's advice that the town currently "has no control over the hiring or supervision of Ladd employees, yet it has responsibility for their actions." The attorney's assessment was presented to the board and prompted debate over how to resolve the mismatch between control and liability.
Why it matters: The town owns the Ladd Center building and has historically handled some administrative functions for the rec center. That arrangement has left questions about who is responsible for insurance, payroll, purchasing and legal exposure. If the town remains on the hook for costs or liabilities while lacking hiring authority, taxpayers could face financial risk, the board was told.
Board members proposed a range of responses. One motion asked that the Ladd Recreation Center take responsibility for all staffing and payroll and that the town forward the budgeted funds to the rec center, with a target transition date of Dec. 31, 2024. The motion was seconded and then heavily debated; several board members urged pausing to allow rec center leaders time to review the town attorney's letter and to meet with town representatives to discuss mechanics and timing. Eric, who identified himself as representing the Ladd Recreation Center board of directors, said that assuming payroll and accounts-payable responsibilities would likely require the rec center to hire additional staff and purchase payroll services, potentially duplicating costs the town already bears. "It would entail hiring additional staff, additional software, and an additional expense," he said.
Board response and next steps: Rather than press the Dec. 31 timeline, the board agreed to a pause and to send a small group (staff and one or two board members) to meet with rec center representatives to draft concrete options and a timeline. The board also accepted the rec center's request to take the attorney's letter back to its board for review. Several members suggested that a written set of two clear options (A: town department; B: independent rec center managing its payroll) be prepared for the next board meeting to facilitate a more concrete discussion.
The meeting record shows robust discussion but does not record a final vote on a permanent staffing outcome; the motion to require the rec center to take over payroll was discussed at length and then effectively postponed pending further consultation.
What to watch for: The select board asked staff to draft the two-option scenarios and to convene a working meeting with rec center leaders. The rec center board plans to review legal recommendations and respond at its next meeting; the select board will reconvene the matter once the rec center provides feedback.
