Norwich - The City Council voted 6-1 Monday to spend up to $80,000 from this year's capital budget to repair the Norwich ice rink cooling system.

It also urged the Ice Rink Authority to consider turning the rink over to a professional management team as it prepares to reopen in August.

The Ice Rink Authority gave a written presentation to the council that offered few other options to get the rink reopened. The report said the rink has about 78,000 visitors per year and is the only year-round rink in New London County.

Although the rink has failed to earn a profit over the years and has accrued a debt to the city of more than $400,000, the authority said the facility brings $1.5 million in revenues to businesses and the community. In the last fiscal year, the rink's own revenues totaled $700,000.

Alderman Mark Bettencourt credited the rink authority for turning around the finances until the mechanical failure derailed those efforts.

Bettencourt and Alderwoman Deberey Hinchey recommended the authority consider turning over all management and marketing to a professional rink management firm. Alderman Charles Jaskiewicz, who cast the lone dissenting vote, said rinks in Massachusetts have contracts with management firms that include capital repairs.

Jaskiewicz said it's not fair to ask city taxpayers to fund the entire debt for a facility used by residents throughout the region. Instead of hiring a new manager, the authority should seek bids for a new management firm, Jaskiewicz said.

Council President Pro Tempore Francois "Pete" Desaulniers, who is also the chairman of the Ice Rink Authority, said the authority was poised to turn a profit this year before the shutdowns. He urged aldermen to attend Thursday's authority meeting to learn details of the mechanical and management issues.

The council agreed to replace the chiller unit, a key component in the cooling system, for $80,000. The authority also will embark on a new inspection and maintenance program that would include an annual shutdown for a "robust" inspection and maintenance of the system.

The aging chiller was the source of two recent shutdowns, the first on Feb. 13 and a second on May 6, that have kept the rink shuttered.

Aldermen recently have questioned whether the rink authority performed regular maintenance and set aside enough money for repairs.

During public comment period Monday, rink supporters urged aldermen to pay for the repairs and reopen the facility in time for the busy hockey and figure skating season from August through May.

Holly Irwin of Ledyard said her family spends $21,000 per year at the rink alone. She and her daughter enjoy figure skating and her son plays hockey and buys his equipment there. In addition, she estimated the family spends another $15,000 in Norwich stores and restaurants near the rink.

"My family is ready to reinvest in the rink," Irwin said. "My family is ready to spend our money in your area," … if there's no rink, I have no reason (to spend money in Norwich)."

Others, however, criticized the continued need for city subsidies for the rink, especially on the heels of last week's controversial budget cuts that eliminated three city positions and could result in teacher layoffs next week. Mayor Peter Nystrom cut off comments that compared the rink request to the budget cuts.

c.bessette@theday.com