Town Board discusses future of Marbletown Community Center

Brooke Stelzer BSP Reporter

The Marbletown Town Board discussed taking a closer look at the use and the future of the Marbletown Community Center during the board meeting on Feb. 21. [Additional stories from this board meeting are on pages 7 and 8] Councilman Tim Hunt said the board is going to reevaluate how the building is currently being used, which includes town income from renting the space to private parties. Chairman and town supervisor Rich Parete said the town receives $6,000 to $7,000 per year in income. The issue, the board shared, is that the cost to maintain the aging building outspends the income that is received. Councilwoman Daisy Foote shared that the furnace in the building is “on its last leg” and that the roof is also in need of repair.

“We just got a quote of $60,000 for a new roof,” said Parete.

He said the Rondout Municipal Center on Lucas Turnpike has expanded spaces open to the public that he would like to see further utilized by the town, including a vacant bistro space with a large kitchen, a gymnasium, pickleball court and a playground. “It would be nice to start getting groups to come here, to rent the bistro, and say hey, you’ve got your kid’s birthday party here, you’ve got the gymnasium for two hours, you can go out on the playground. We may have to reevaluate the properties we own moving forward. Towns are not meant to be in the real estate business.”