Management for Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building still undeclared

There is still no official word on who will take charge of the Petaluma Veteran's Memorial Building. Despite sources within the Sonoma County Departments of Regional Parks and General Services, who have confirmed United Camps, Conferences and Retreats (UCCR) will be awarded management of the building, officially the future is still undetermined.

"This is still an ongoing process. Nothing has come back to the Board of Supervisors and until a recommendation is made, we can't say who will manage the building. The county is trying to strike the best deal possible for the veterans and the community, but no final deal has been struck," said Second District Supervisor David Rabbitt.

No other organization but Petaluma-based UCCR made a formal proposal to manage the building, located on Petaluma Boulevard. But UCCR director Mike Carr said the company was still waiting to receive a draft letter of agreement from the county. "If we can reach an agreement, we are looking forward to managing the facility," said Carr.

Spokespersons with the Regional Parks Department have confirmed a letter of intent to award management of the building to UCCR will be made to County Supervisors at their March 27 meeting. if approved, UCCR will take control of the building on July 1, 2012.

This action is good news to Petaluma veteran Jack Krout. Krout served 32 years in the Army Air Corps and US Air Force. He saw three wars during his career and ever since he retired from the service in 1974, the 88-year-old veteran has been working with Petaluma's UCCR.

"It will be a big improvement," said Krout. "I've been working with UCCR and local veterans to make this happen and I can tell you, once UCCR is managing the building, their number one goal will be to serve our veterans."

The county has sought to outsource management of the building for years. Recent estimates have the facility operating at a deficit of over a quarter of a million dollars, with repair costs estimated at $3.2 million. Carr has said his company is capable of managing the hall, and bringing food service hospitality practices to the facility that are not currently used.

"We hope to increase the use of the building, drawing conferences and meetings from groups who might use hotels or other meeting places," said Carr. "Food service is what we do for a living and we think we can make the Veteran's Hall very competitive with area hotels and conference places."

Local American Legion representative Steve Kemmerle says that new management can't come too soon for the 53-year-old facility.

"I live two blocks from the Vets Building and over the years I have seen activity dwindle significantly," said Kemmerle, who served as an Army policeman from 1969 to 1971. "Too many groups have stopped using the building due to increased fees and the current management. UCCR taking over will be a plus. I'm not mad at anyone at the county, but they ran that building as if it were a park."

Carr said UCCR will honor all current fee rates with groups using the building.

"We will honor all the 2011-2012 fees rates. At some point we will have to raise fees to cope with cost-of-living adjustments, but we don't intend to come in mid-stream and make changes now," said Carr.

(Contact By E.A. Barrera at argus@arguscourier.com)

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.