Philipsburg:--"Commissioner of Sports Maria Buncamper-Molanus welcomes the involvement of Councilman Frans Richardson in getting the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex (RISC) renovated. As the Commissioner has said publicly on numerous occasions, the process is well underway to ensure direct government involvement in the board and the daily management of the facility. This type of involvement will be new as the articles of incorporation of the RISC was established in away that did not allow government as much involvement as it should have in the facility.
The new board members have been identified and await approval by the Executive Council. A plan is being drafted to completely refurbish the RISC. The Commissioner in the past has also visited the facility on three different occasions and participated in discussions with the former board for quick-fixes when was necessary at the facility. However, the Commissioner is adamant about ensuring that the facility is adequately equipped and maintained for the hundreds of people, young and old alike, who make use of it on a daily basis.
It is also one of the reasons she is currently in Tallahassee exploring options for RISC in terms of equipment and other infrastructure improvements of the facility. Councilman Richardson is a sports lover, just like the Commissioner, so his voice is an important one in this process. The Commissioner looks forward to his bi-partisan cooperation when the time comes to get RISC back to a level we can all be proud of."