Out of three bids, United Skates of America has been recommended as the company with the best proposal to manage the Montclair Clary Anderson Arena.

But the selection has not satisfied some supporters of the ice facility.

Charles Volpe, a former president of the Montclair High School Ice Hockey Booster Club, has frequented the arena for years, first with his children and now with his step-granddaughter.

"It was a case of ‘here it is.’ Boom. There was nothing [done] ahead of time to save this little town gem," Volpe said.

Volpe and many other people fear for the ice facility’s uncertain future. He said the municipality should look into other options than privatization, such as establishing a nonprofit or agency to operate the arena.

"We are against the process and the lack of thought put in this," Volpe said.

Roy Guidi, who was involved in early fundraising efforts for the arena, recalled when the site was home to tennis courts before it became an outdoor arena, which was eventually enclosed.

"The rink was and is treated like a second-class citizen by the township," Guidi noted. "It wouldn’t take too much to improve things."

He recommended that "instead of hiring an entirely new company, the township should have more clearly defined job descriptions for the rink employees and market the arena better," such as striking deals with local businesses to advertise on the Zamboni rink vehicles.

The arena’s shaky financial foundation has raised eyebrows. According to Chief Financial Officer Gordon Stelter, the facility has lost $200,000 in the 2007-2008 season — a point that confused users who testified the arena was well utilized.

"There are plenty of ways to bring in money," Guidi said. "Even if you make it private, it is going to cost a lot to run it. The town will be paying for the electricity and other small costs."

But some officials believe that a professional management group may be the best solution.

"Privatization is an incorrect word because it gets rid of the assets to the town," Community Services Director Stephen Wood said. "In view of the costs to the township right now, and that there is potential to eliminate these costs, a management company is a good solution at this time. I would think that the town would evaluate the situation after the first year and decide what to do from there."

During budgetary discussions this past spring, Township Manager Joseph Hartnett and the former Township Council members discussed eliminating the municipality’s usual $82,000 of funding of the arena and decided the facility should be privatized.

The measure, in addition to many other cuts, was meant to keep the municipal budget within the New Jersey-mandated 3 1/2 percent cap.

After throngs of arena supporters protested the decision, the council put $40,000 for the arena back into Montclair’s 2008 financial plan.

Hartnett stressed the months-long privatization deliberation was "1,000 percent above board and in the open."

"The only people who could be surprised is somebody who was paying absolutely no attention," Hartnett said.

Hartnett added that, due to financial strictures affecting the town, Montclair will be "in a mode of cutting and shrinking and doing less for years to come."

"People who support the arena should be counting their blessings that there is another route by which the arena can be saved," he said.

Asked whether municipal officials had met with Ohio-based United Skates of America prior to this process, Hartnett acknowledged he had met with company representatives about a year ago when officials started to examine the idea of contracting with an outside management company. Hartnett said United Skates of America is "a recognized company in New Jersey," and municipal officials meet with companies all of the time.

The township manager noted that he has been looking to apply a similar strategy to the sewers, swimming pools, and the first aid squad.

"Everybody in Montclair needs to wake up to the fact that we have to be fiscally responsible and fiscally disciplined," Hartnett said. "This is a town where everybody wants everything, and it isn’t going to happen … People in the community and the new council members, as well, need to start listening."

Some citizens have pointed out that an employee of United Skates of America named Bill Irving is a former manager of the Clary Anderson Arena and is Township Attorney Alan Trembulak’s wife’s son-in-law.

"I thought it was common knowledge," Hartnett said of Irving’s relationship to Trembulak. "But it was a non-factor in evaluating the proposals."

According to Hartnett, Trembulak had no involvement in the bidding process, except for reviewing certain information in his capacity as the township attorney. Hartnett emphasized that Trembulak did not attend meetings with a committee formed to review proposals that included Hartnett, Wood and Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director Pat Brechka.

Hartnett said a contract with a company may be for a year, but told The Times he does not know the facility’s fate. He noted that, should an agreement with an outside company not work, then the arena could be added back into the budget, but another program or facility would have to then be taken out.

Nearby Floyd Hall Enterprises and Rink Management of Virginia also submitted proposals. The council members will likely vote this month on an agreement with United Skates of America. Their next meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Although they were elected but not yet in office, the new officials had been present during such budgetary discussions and were aware of the arena’s potential to be managed by an outside company. But in a special session last week, the council members expressed hesitation to act on the situation.

"We haven’t had time to adequately consider other options," 3rd Ward Councilman Nick Lewis said. "Are we really saving taxpayers money here or are we just shuffling around the deck chairs?"

At-Large Councilwoman Kathryn Weller said she would support "whatever decision will make the most financial sense," but called the process truncated and hoped future issues would be addressed in a "more thorough, less rushed" manner.

As Hartnett has stressed, time is of the essence.

"Right now, the arena is going to close in the middle of November," he told The Times. "There are not funds to keep the arena open for the full season. That’s the reality. So the arena is closing if we don’t do something."