The town of Silver Cliff will take the deed to Club America WMV as requested by the Custer 2020 organization if Custer 2020 agrees to the town’s conditions.

During its regular meeting on March 8, the Silver Cliff trustees proposed the creation of an enterprise to take ownership of Club America.

During Monday night’s meeting, Silver Cliff town attorney Peter Michaelson recommended the trustees form the enterprise instead of taking the deed and then leasing the facility to Custer 2020 which was what Custer 2020 had suggested.

Under the proposed enterprise, Custer 2020 would continue to operate the facility, however, the town would have certain responsibilities such as making sure adequate liability and property insurance was maintained, among others.

No town dollars would be spent to operate the pool and fitness center.

Custer 2020 needs a government entity to take the deed to Club America WMV as a

requirement to receive some $75,000 in

grant proceeds from the Boettcher Foundation to purchase the facility.

Steve Willman, president of Custer 2020, received a draft of the Silver Cliff proposal and was expected to present it to his board later this week.

If Custer 2020 chooses to move forward with the proposed Silver Cliff plan, then the two entities would meet in the near future to hash out the details.

The matter was also discussed during the county commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday.

Commissioner Jim Austin would like the county to take the deed to Club America WMV and then lease the facility to Custer 2020 for $1 a year.

County attorney John Naylor, who was in attendance at Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting, said such a lease was possible.

Commissioner Lynn Attebery said he would prefer that the town of Silver Cliff take the deed to the property since the facility is within Silver Cliff’s town limits.

Austin and county resident Dwayne Robey, who was also in attendance, disagreed with Attebery, saying Club America was an asset to all in the community and therefore the county should hold the deed.

Custer 2020, a nonprofit corporation, has been operating Club America since September 2008 in hopes of purchasing the facility from owners Jerry and Mary Seifert.

The purchase price is around $900,000 and if the Boettcher Foundation funds are secured, Custer 2020 would have a total of some $800,000, which has been raised through donations, fundraisers and other grants.

– Nora Drenner