Saugus rink receives 4 bids for lease

SAUGUS – The bids are in and have been open for the Kasabuski Rink but Town Manager Andrew Bisignani said nothing will be resolved at best for 30 days.Request for proposals (RFPS) went out earlier this year with the goal of finding someone to rent the Kasabuski ice rink. The troubled rink comes with a $650,000-$700,000 deficit and a lengthy to-do list of costly repairs. Critics wondered if anyone would bid on the rink at all but Bisignani said four bids did come in.He told the Board of Selectmen Tuesday the proposals were being analyzed and the special legislation had been filed with the governor as well.The special legislation asks that the lease between the town and the Department of Conservation and Recreation be extended out another 10 years. Bisignani said getting that legislation passed would be a must to make the deal attractive to any potential lessees.”I’m hoping in 30 days we’ll have a resolution,” he said.Selectman Michael Kelleher asked Bisignani if he thought the entire process would be successful and one of the bids would be accepted.”Yes,” Bisignani said simply, adding, “Yes I do, I’m hoping we will have a qualified candidate.”Kelleher said he is concerned because the manager set aside nearly $1.3 million during the budget planning for fiscal 2009 just in case the town wound up having to pay off the rink’s deficit. Should the rink be sublet, at least $800,000 of the earmarked funds will be sent to the School Department. Kelleher said he would like to see the money go to the schools and is worried about what will happen if it does not.Even if one of the bids is accepted the rink issue will not be settled immediately because a deal with the winning bidder will still have to be negotiated. At issue for the town is keeping the cost of ice time reasonable for the high school and youth hockey teams.While Bisignani will likely do the honors during negotiations the Board of Selectmen have the final say on any contract.