69����

At the center of the dispute is a part of the agreement that states the city is responsible to cover any deficits incurred from the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center.

Part of the agreement is that the city is responsible to cover deficits, which is where the contention from the school district lies.

Whitewater Unified School District Superintendent Caroline Pate-Hefty released a statement Dec. 19 saying that at a board meeting the night before that the common council would be responsible for operational surplus and deficits and the district would add additional funding towards building maintenance.

“The board is disappointed to learn that the city is trying to make material changes to provisions that both boards had agreed upon,” Whitewater School Board President Larry Kachel said.

Whitewater City Hall released a statement in response, stating that the city manager’s office remains committed to the aquatic center agreement.

On Oct. 11, the common council approved an agreement during an approximately 15-minute joint meeting with the school board that was strictly for negotiations over the aquatic center. School board members who were in attendance, did not approve the agreement.

Kachel told the council that the school board would take it back to the full board for approval.

Documents released by the city seemingly show that stipulations were added by the school board prior to the board’s approval — and after the city’s approval — that would increase scheduling of use, including use of the lap pool, leisure pool and the fitness center, during the school year or the summer, for health and physical education classes, swim team activities, swim lessons and recreational programs.

“With the city having agreed in its approved document to absorb any financial overages, any further modifications need to be met with additional resources or additional concessions,” Weidl said in the city’s statement.

The common council is expected to meet with legal counsel Jan. 16.