After Supervisor Kevin McNamara assured the Independent the dance studio issue would be pulled from Tuesday night’s regular board meeting agenda, he kept the item on the agenda and got it approved on a 5-2 vote.
The $162,000 in taxpayer-funded renovations focused on the Jitterbug Elite’s private dance studio and was opposed by only Trustees Paul White and Reggie Miller in the vote. The half hour between the work/study session and the regular meeting Tuesday was enough time for Trustee Sherry Frazier to turn her no vote into a yes.
The 16-year, handshake agreement between Jennifer Valinski, wife of a VBT police officer, and the township allowed her to take 80% of the profits and the township to get 20%, with VBT receiving about $1,700 a year for giving the dance studio rooms, electricity, heat, and advertising in its publications.
After a discussion two weeks ago at a work/study session, the renovations were pulled from the regular meeting’s agenda. On Tuesday, three board members asked why their previous questions weren’t answered and Supervisor McNamara said he would put the decision off for another two weeks. But, he changed his mind and the item was left on the regular agenda and approved. The Independent was assured the item was off the agenda so it went to the Belleville City Council meeting to hear a discussion on the city opting out of marijuana businesses. So much for believing a politician.
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1 Comment
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It seems this article is less of an informational and more of a complaint. I would love to see this article updated with a coversation with the trustees on why they decided to approve it. I feel there should be people at all city council meetings anyway.
As for the facility- it is a community based dance program that offers affordable tuition for the communities (over 7 local area districts) for children to learn life skills, artistry, problem solving and make friends through dance. The facility as is is only 1 large room with an uneven linoleum flooring and a collapsible wall to divide the room in half. Myself, having a degree in dance- the concrete floor allows for more injury long term for the dancers. The celing would need to be raised to reuse the same wall since two dance area are still needed. Mirrors (these are not glass mirrors but mylar which is cheaper) are needed in dance spaces- show me a dance studio that doesnt have floor length mirrors….)
Jennifer has invested in this community for 16 years and the students come from middle and low class families that cant afford higher tution like other studios have. Jennifer’s dancers are supported by local businesses and the kids are a part of community events.
I would request for you as a journalist to add interviews of the trustees, supervisors, Jennifer and the dance parents and update this article.