Fort Lauderdale Cancels Contract with FLA Swimming; Coach Escorted From Pool

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, January 4. A month after news broke in the Sun Sentinel that Fort Lauderdale Aquatics had defaulted on its contract with the City of Fort Lauderdale to field a team at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatics Complex, the City decided to cancel its contract with the club according to a memo obtained by Swimming World.

The memo, sent out to the City's mayor and commissioners from City Manager Lee Feldman as printed in full below explained that FLA's last-ditch effort to come into compliance with the contract was unsuccessful after a check that was to clear up much of the back payments to the City was retracted.

The memo, dated Tuesday, states that the City would meet with the FLA swimming coaches to offer them independent contracts to field an alternative swim team at the Complex. This meeting took place yesterday.

The memo also explicitly stated that FLA head coach Duffy Dillon's contract to field a team at the Complex had "ceased."

According to a source close to the situation, Dillon attempted to return to the facility yesterday to coach swimmers on deck. This led to him being escorted off the deck, as the City claimed that he no longer had a right to coach at the Complex.

City Memo
Mayor and Commissioners –

I would like to bring you up-to-date on the contractual issues surrounding the FLA Contract with the City. As you know, the Commission authorized the termination of the contract with FLA effective December 31, 2011 and provided that FLA bring their payment current and submit the proper reports agreed to extend the termination provision until February 29, 2012 in order to have a proper transition between the vendor (Mr. Dillon) and the City. The desire was to have minimal, if any, impact on the participants of the program.

On December 31st, Mr. Dillon delivered the attached package to staff. The package included reports and a check for $96,000. Mr. Dillon believes that the total due to the City is $128,762. The staff is currently reviewing the reports and has not agreed that the $128,762 amount is the conclusive amount due.

Additionally, this morning Mr. Dillon requested, after speaking to his lenders, that check included in the reports not be deposited. The City has not deposited the check.

At this point, and based upon the action of the Commission, staff will be meeting with the Swim Team coaches at 3 pm today to bring them up to speed on this matter. Additionally, in order to move forward, the City will be establishing an alternate swim team. In order to accomplish this I will be entering into independent contracts with those swim team coaches who desire to work under the City program.

I will be meeting with Mr. Dillon this afternoon in order to ensure that he realizes that his rights under the contract have ceased. We will be making arrangements the return of his personal property which remains at our facility.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Lee

Lee Feldman

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