By Mary-Justine Lanyon
For years the Running Springs Area Chamber of Commerce has wrestled with the issue of maintaining the public restrooms in town – keeping them safe and clean for use by residents and visitors.
At the chamber board’s meeting on Feb. 11, Director Jenny Hueter, the general manager of the Rim of the World Recreation and Park District, reported she had ordered token locks for the restrooms. Folks needing to use the restroom would have to get a token from one of the businesses in town.
“We are still figuring out how to distribute the tokens,” Hueter said, adding that should be a chamber decision. “I hope they work. I have heard good things about them.” There will be no fee for the tokens.
“The important thing,” she said, “is that the restrooms are clean and safe. I hope the businesses will partner with us.” By adding the step of having to obtain a token, the hope is they can eliminate vandalism.
Hueter also noted she had been pricing cameras to place outside the restrooms.
“The restrooms have been a thorn in our side for a long time,” President Kevin Somes said.
Hueter said Rec and Park would like to have the restrooms professionally cleaned once a month. Her staff, she said, can do the daily cleaning.
He said the chamber has been paying more than $300 a month for cleaning and fees. He suggested they integrate some of the cleaning and operating costs into their lease with Rec and Park.
That lease is up at the end of April. Somes has been talking with Hueter and her staff about the terms of the new lease. The chamber’s office has been at the Hootman Center for a number of years.
“We want to work with you,” Hueter said. “We will do our best to keep it reasonable.”
Not only does the chamber have its office at the Hootman Center, they also have access to storage space and have use of the building for meetings.
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