Ice Rink

By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer Hagerstown Mayor Steven T. Sager on Tuesday blasted the acting director of the city-owned ice rink that is under construction, saying he engaged in poor public relations, resulting in a drop-off in contributions for the project. Sager also told Walter Dill that his actions resulted in telephone calls from constituents. Sager referred to two articles published in The Herald-Mail newspapers in which it was reported that the person who gets the job of executive director when the ice rink opens could make $80,000.

Suit against ice rink managers settled By DAN KULIN / Staff Writer A lawsuit from a former executive director of the Hagerstown ice rink against the group running the rink has been settled out of court. Terms of the settlement were not released. In July 1998, Walter E. Dill Sr. sued the Washington County Sports Foundation, which oversees operations at the city-owned rink, claiming breach of contract, defamation, slander of credit and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

By FRANCA LEWIS Staff Writer A mistake by construction crews working on Hagerstown's new ice rink left hundreds without power for much of Saturday afternoon. Hagerstown City Light Manager Terry Weaver said workers taking down the stables at the Hagerstown Fairgrounds accidentally hit a utility guide wire. Weaver said the wire snapped, striking a high voltage line and interrupting electric service through the North End and parts of the eastern section of the city.

By STEVEN T. DENNIS Staff Writer The Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex has hired Ann Gallarono of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., as the new director of figure skating. Gallarono has been skating since she was 9 years old and has been teaching for 18 years, including the last three at the Frederick, Md., ice rink complex. Gallarono replaces Margy Everett as figure skating director. She quit in August because of philosophical differences with Walter Dill, the director of the ice rink.

An ice skating coach was arrested at the Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex after a confrontation with rink management during which police alleged she refused to leave the premises. Margaret Ann Everett was charged April 22 with trespassing, refusing to obey a police officer and resisting arrest, according to court documents. The situation came up during the public comments portion of a Hagerstown City Council meeting last Tuesday. Harriett Mongan and her son-in-law complained to the Mayor and City Council about how rink management treated Everett.

By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer Hagerstown Mayor Steven T. Sager held a press conference Wednesday morning to emphasize that progress is being made in the areas of fund raising and construction for a city-owned $2.3 million ice rink. Sager said afterward that he called the press conference in reaction to a headline in The Morning Herald on Wednesday that stated, "Mayor slams ice rink boss. " "I saw that the headline said I slammed Walter (Dill) and what I thought I'd done was offered constructive criticism to the board," Sager said.

The Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex will remain closed until city officials can find another organization to manage the facility. During a Friday press conference, city Administrator Bruce Zimmerman said the city recently decided to terminate its contract with the Washington County Sports Foundation, the group that had managed the complex for the past 10 years. In the meantime, city officials will try to find an interim manager so the $2.32 million facility can open by mid-September, Zimmerman said.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Members of Cumberland Valley On Ice, the nonprofit organization that owns the Doris I. Billow Ice Arena, said Thursday an anonymous donor has come up with the money to keep the bankrupt ice rink from its scheduled appointment with the auction block today. L. Michael Ross, executive director of the Franklin County Area Development Authority and CVOI board member, said the donation will keep the rink solvent for 28 days while the board works on a plan to recruit members of a for-profit management company to run the rink.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - The Pennsylvania business consultant trying to save the Doris I. Billow Ice Arena said Thursday he has "handshake" agreements with five investors who have pledged $500,000 of the $700,000 needed to keep the rink from its scheduled March 10 date with the auctioneer's block. cont. from news page If he succeeds, Curt Baker said he will turn $480,000 of the total over to F&M Bank in Chambersburg, Pa., to bring the financially troubled rink's mortgage up to date.

ZULLINGER, Pa. - For Carol Henicle, the unthinkable is happening. The financially stressed Doris I. Billow Ice Arena is being put up for sale. cont. from news page Henicle, executive director of the Greater Waynesboro Chamber of Commerce, led the effort two years ago to secure grants and loans to build the $3 million, 38,000-square-foot rink. She said Tuesday the facility has been put in the hands of ERA Penn First Realty. Henicle said she didn't know the selling price.