OVA Board Strengthens Majority Rule With New Member
By naming Noel Lyons to the seat vacated by Greg Goodwin, the Board appointed a longtime resident with experience and institutional memory.
Having served previously as a director, the new member was co-chair of the ad hoc Pickleball committee, promoting the development of playing courts on the vacant lot behind the Berger Center and Central Pool.
With the East Recreation Center rehabilitation to be completed sometime early next year, negotiations involving the fate of the Berger Center will commence. At that time the master plan, created by the Long Range Planning Committee, should provide the focus for the discussions of a new “Oakmont Downtown.”
Based on anecdotal evidence, there is a concerted effort by OVA’s Long Range Planning Committee to promote both the remodel of the existing Berger and the construction of a new community hall.
To this end, the appointment of Noel Lyons, makes eminent sense. Without yet having disclosed his personal opinions publicly, his background as a committed promoter of a tournament level Pickleball facility in our downtown, suggests a predisposition toward new construction and expansion of the central area.
PHOTO: Co-chair, Noel Lyons at December 2015 Planning Commission meeting with Anita Easland, Cassie Turner, Andie Altman, John Felton and Frank Batchelor. (ON Photo by Julie Kiil)
Great picture: it shows all those who managed to waste a lot of Oakmont money, Batchelor and Altman OVA Boards, but also Noel and Anita who blindly worked on Berger site for pickleball although they were all given a far better alternative proposal which let after 5 years of turmoil to today’s great courts at EastRec.
Noel appointed now to the OVA Board: hope he practices more independent thinking for the benefit of Oakmont.
Yvonne: the institutional memory you mention is not very positive.
Having served on the same Board as Noel some years ago, i know Noel will be a good addition to the current Board.
Regarding Mr. Bieser’s comments , Noel advocated for the pickleballers to be put somewhere, not necessarily at the Central Rec.
If Mr. Bieser was a resident at the time, he should recall that the City of Santa Rosa refused to allow the East Rec. site to be used due to noise constraints. The Board at that time also had a probable lawsuit hanging over them by residents living above the East tennis courts protesting any attempt to place pickleball there. Heavy rain delayed the start of construction throughout the month of March and the first Monday in April was the the first day that weather allowed the contractor to get started. This was done by signed contract, not an unseemly rush by a Board to circumvent anything. The only unseemly thing I see is the innuendo by Mr. Bieser.
Wally, it seems you continue to put out misinformation about the City of Santa Rosa’s role, input and position on the location of the pickleball courts. The City approved the only scenario presented to them by the OVA BOD (and manager) at the time. Neither the City Planning Commission nor the City Council weighed in or voted on any location other than the former putting green behind the CAC. Noel Lyons repeatedly told the OVA BOD and membership that an acoustical study of the ERC location had been conducted when, in fact, one had NOT. This fact was confirmed when an acoustical study was finally authorized and conducted at the direction of the subsequent BOD, and the ERC location met the City’s criteria with ease.