WATERTOWN — City Council members felt like they were hip checked into the boards when they saw a Facebook posting on Monday morning about negotiations for a new lease with the Watertown Wolves.
Team officials claimed that the city was not willing to work with the team, threatening to suspend operations and not return next season.
The Facebook post angered council members on Monday night.
Calling the posting “very unprofessional,” Councilwoman Lisa A. Ruggiero said that the city and its staff should not tolerate that treatment from the team.
“I was stunned,” she said, saying that she heard a lot of negative comments from the public because of the message in the posting.
“That should never have happened. It was uncalled for.”
She accused the team of trying to create sympathy from the public just as the city and Wolves are negotiating a new lease.
“I’m sorry but that’s not how I do business,” she added.
Calling it “misleading,” Councilman Cody J. Horbacz was so angry about the posting that he called team owner Don Kirnan and made him take it down.
Mr. Kirnan had it removed after their conversation.
Contacted Tuesday night, Mr. Kirnan said he’s frustrated with the way the city is treating the team, again threatening to leave the Watertown Municipal Arena and go to a new city.
He’s waiting to hear from City Manager Rick Finn to come up with a new lease.
“That’s not a way to treat a tenant,” Mr. Kirnan said. “Obviously, I’m very frustrated.”
He said the Wolves are the only team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League without a lease for next season.
But parks superintendent Erin E. Gardner said she’s talked to Mr. Kirnan, stressing there are just a few items that have to be worked out on the lease.
Mr. Finn said the Wolves got a break on the lease for the past season when the team did not do well with attendance. He plans to ask for more revenue in the new lease agreement.
“They had a very good season,” he said, adding that he wants an audit of the team to check on its financial situation.
Ms. Gardner said she has to protect the interest of city taxpayers.
The Wolves averaged 956 fans a game this past season, the second year that Mr. Kirnan has owned the team.
He took over the team from a local group that started the team after the arena went through an $11 million renovation.
The post
What the Watertown Wolves posted Tuesday on Facebook:
“The Watertown Wolves are trying to negotiate this years lease with the city of Watertown. We are running into issues with the city responding to us. If the city is not willing to work with the Wolves we may not be returning next season. Unfortunately if the Wolves suspend operations and the League writes us out of the schedule, and the city changes their mind it will be too late. The League is working on a schedule if the city won’t respond the League will complete the schedule without Watertown. Once the schedule is completed it is too late for this year. The Wolves have been waiting for a lease for 2 months. League rules state schedule must only include teams with signed leases.”