Yesterday afternoon we sat down with Time Kernan who directed the Ulin Rink Management Corp’s effort to win the bid to operate the Ulin Rink. He reflected on the group’s goals, shared some observations and discussed concerns going forward.

Much of what Kernan told us he would later present at the Board of Selectmen’s Meeting reading from a prepared statement. For example, he is thrilled that two of his team’s three goals were met. The goals were to have the town secure control of the rink, the second is to have the rink managed by a non-profit and the third was to have the access and fees for constituent groups protected. “Two out of three is great . . . and that the town now has a controlling interest in the rink by the town is worth it’s weight in gold,” Kernan said. He also made it clear tha the group was not simply a bunch of hockey parents about a team comprised of individuals with deep knowledge and expertise in rink management and business. It was  a team he believed had all the requite skill to manage the rink responsibly and deliver to the community a set of programs that would fill the ice time and address the deficiencies of the existing business model as it existed under the DCR. Those deficiencies included poor energy management, over-staffing, and a lack of marketing.

Kernan’s team, the Ulin Rink Management Corporation, a group formed to provide non-profit agnostic management of the rink, lost the bid to Curry College. The board of Selectmen chose Curry because they believed it had the stronger financial stability and deeper facilities management experience. But Kernan has concerns about the choice of Curry College. We are not anti-Curry; but they are a user group [of the rink] and it is inappropriate to have a user group manage it.” The rink is a taxpayer resource and as such the group will need  to operate it in a manner that is consistent with it being a taxpayer resource.  Kernan questions how the town will monitor the group’s financial performance. How does one quantify the benefits accrued to the school and how they may change (or not) over time. As a user group they have a vested interest and in Kernan’s opinion that presents the town with a management problem.

Will Kernan’s group play a role going forward? “We are not going to go away . . .we think there is a role we can play, ” said Kernan. Whatever role there may be is to be determined. The Selectmen will be finalizing the contract with Curry next week and the plan is to have the rink open on the 15th of this month. But Kernan is positive. “Anything can happen if you manage it.”

Kernan is especially grateful to his group. “The people I met were just terrific, offering expertise, advice, and encouragement. We got to know each other from a business point of view and a friendship point of view.”

A separate post on the Selectmen’s meeting during which Kernan spoke will published shortly.