Hundreds Show up for Town Hall Meeting on Tech Hockey
By: Lisa Carr
Updated: September 29, 2008
More than a hundred Tech Hockey supporters showed up at City Hall on Monday for a special town hall meeting. They came to voice their concerns about the city deciding not to renew the contract with the Tech team to play in the coliseum. Council members Linda Deleon and Floyd Price were there to listen to the arguments.
You may remember, DeLeon and Price are the two members who voted in favor of renewing the contract with the Tech Hockey program last week, while the rest of the city council voted against renewing the deal. After the decision was made on Thursday, we're told calls came flooding in to city hall from some very upset people. They say they feel like the city has turned its back on the Tech sport as well as the other programs that use the ice in the coliseum for youth hockey leagues and figure skating classes. Mayor Tom Martin and the others who voted against the contract say the Tech coach, Paul Fioroni, was given a chance to renew the contract at the end of last season, but he chose not to. Now, the city can't afford to offer them the same deal because hockey is not a program that pays for itself. In fact, they say last year the program cost the city up to $4,000 in losses. The people out at the meeting say they want another chance to negotiate with the city. They say if the city wants more money they will raise it.
Now, Councilwoman Deleon promised the crowd of supporters she will make sure the issue is put back on the agenda in the coming weeks for reconsideration. We'll keep you updated on whether they vote on it again.
