[Update Oct 20, 2022 INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — The special meeting for the general improvement district in regards to the Recreation Center Expansion Project has been moved to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, at the Chateau in Incline Village…. https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/ivgid-meeting-moved-to-monday-duffield-foundation-discusses-grant-termination/ ]

Facts can get in the way of people who want to blame someone for a failure.  So here are the actual facts on the Recreation Center Expansion Project.

There was never a $25 million commitment from Cheryl & David Duffield. Duffield already had a gymnasium project planned for 1100 Tahoe Blvd; the timeline with TRPA approval occured August 24, 2022.

source: https://parcels.laketahoeinfo.org/AccelaCAPRecord/Detail/ERSP2021-1855

The original  February, 2022 memorandum of understanding  to develop a concept for IVGID’s Recreation Center Expansion: a “Multi-Use Gymnasium” 

• with 3,600 square feet dedicated for Gymnastics Program
• additional space programming and social areas,
• administrative space,
• small kitchen,
• restrooms and
• storage.

A project cost estimate, an operations and maintenance cost estimate and an operational and programmatic plan  were also to be developed. The  concept design would be funded  by $65,000 from the Duffield Foundation and $36,000 funded by IVGID.

In July, 2022 a Grant Agreement was executed for design and preconstruction services.  Under the terms, design contracts for $2,415,000 would be paid by the  Duffield Foundation for the new building extension and $110,000 would be paid by IVGID for rehabilitation of the existing building.

In September, 2022 a first amendment  to the July grant agreement was proposed to modify the scope of  the Services  (design contracts ) and  Expansion to  eliminate rehabilitating the existing facility and also to revise and downsize the scope of the expansion  by eliminating the multi-use gymnasium and shrinking the size of other areas. There was no reference that a unanimous vote by the IVGID Board was required.  The IVGID Board of Trustees voted 4 to 1 on the proposed first  amendment to be delivered to the Duffield Foundation.

In addition, IVGID management decided to provide a support letter.  It stated a “full commitment to take the Project through completion”.  How would that be possible without knowing the final  cost of  bids  for construction  and having no agreement between IVGID and the Duffields on how the  costs  would be shared?  After all, there was never a commitment by Duffield on a cost limit for the entire project.

There were questions raised by the public at the September 28^th meeting as to why Trustee Schmitz voted against the design and modification to the Grant Agreement and then voted in support of the letter expressing unanimous support of both. Trustee Schmitz stated on the record at the same meeting (can be viewed on  https://livestream.com/ivgid/events/10631236 beginning at 1:41:22), that when the Board approves an agenda item, all Board members are to align with that decision. She went on to state the Board made the decision to move forward with Option D Design and that she ‘signed up’ and ‘signed on’ to support the Board’s decision and voted to approve the letter of unanimous support for the project and the design as stated in the letter to the Duffield Foundation found in agenda item E.2.b. This resulted in a 5-0 vote.

This first amendment was never executed as the Duffield Foundation terminated the July Grant Agreement.   A termination letter exists but has not been released to the public.    It would be assumed that the Duffield Foundation will pay all costs associated with design up to the date of termination.

We may never know why the Duffields decided to terminate the July Grant Agreement but Wong’s attempt to put the blame on Trustee Schmitz  was  unwarranted, unprofessional  and without any merit. But the timeline above indicates when Duffield obtained the TRPA Permit on August 24, 2022, that may have been the trigger to pull the MOU.

Trustee Wong should be chastised for creating such an unfair and mean-spirited attack on Trustee Schmitz.

[Update Oct 5, 2022] The Status Report of the General Manager [see report below] was updated on Sept 22, 2022,  but omitted key information: the notice of termination had been received 3 days earlier [see notice below]. Why was the termination NOT MENTIONED in Winquest’s Status Report?

[Update Oct 8, 2022]  October 4, 2022 Construction of the Ponderosa Gym at 1100 Tahoe Blvd.

Ponderosa Gym Elevation Drawing, 1100 Tahoe Blvd

[Oct 19, 2022 photo. Note the complex arched glue-laminated beam “glulam” on the left and far right.