By Jason Arndt
Editor
Burlington Senior Activity Center representatives and City of Burlington officials have committed to working together amid concerns stemming from an initial presentation related to a Habitat for Humanity proposal.
Racine Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 100 families in Racine County get into their first home. The organization delivered a proposal in late January at a Common Council committee of the whole meeting about the prospect of building two single-family residential units on a portion of Senior Center property owned by the city.
Since then, representatives of the Burlington Senior Activity Center as well as neighbors voiced opposition to the proposal, citing concerns about loss of property value, inhibiting Senior Center growth, and lack of parking at the facility.
At a Feb. 25 Racine County Executive Committee meeting, Corporation Counsel Michael Lanzdorf issued a status update regarding a 2017 memorandum of understanding, which included a conditional $200,000 grant to the city for the purchase of the former Knights of Columbus building at 587 E. State Street to use as the Senior Center.
Lanzdorf, in his legal opinion, noted the city fulfilled its obligations related to the grant and indicated the matter is between the city and the Senior Center.
Kathy Baumeister, Chairperson of the Board of Directors at the Senior Center, issued a simple request on March 4 to the Common Council during the public comments portion signaling the facility may have found an alternative.
“Individuals and a local business have come forward with support for the Senior Center. We are working on alternatives to the proposed city plans that would be fruitful to both the Senior Center and City of Burlington,” Baumeister said. “The Burlington Senior Center is requesting that the City Council refrain from making any decisions about the Senior Center property at this time.”
Burlington Mayor Jon E. Schultz II, in brief comments, indicated he and Baumeister had a positive discussion about the Senior Center’s future on Feb. 28.
“Kathy and I had a great call and we recommitted ourselves to working together on this,” Schultz said.
Meanwhile, the Common Council on March 4 met in a closed session to discuss the Senior Center lease agreement.
At the advice of the city’s legal counsel, City Administrator Carina Walters offered a brief overview of what officials planned to discuss before the Common Council convened into the closed session.
Walters said the topics include potential rent, since the Burlington Senior Center’s lease expired earlier this year, and costs of in-kind services from the city, among other items.
In-kind services primarily focus on landscaping, like snow removal and lawn maintenance, as well as utility expenses.
Schultz said the Common Council would not take any action related to the lease agreement during the closed session.
Since the Burlington Senior Activity Center opened at the new location, the city has not assessed any rental fees to the group, which previously held operations at the former Western Racine County Service Center on Main Street before Racine County condemned the structure because of mechanical issues.
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