Members of the Amenity Authority Committee demanded that a renovation of the restrooms at Savannah Center include auto-flush toilets and touchless sinks.
Three AAC members — Don Deakin, James Vaccaro, and William Williamson — refused to vote for the $267,775 project during Wednesday’s meeting without an amendment to include the touchless systems in the renovation.
“It’s critical that we include auto-flush in this project,” Deakin said, arguing that the systems are vital to the health of residents using the facility.
Ultimately, the board approved the project in a 5-1 vote, with AAC member Donna Kempa as the lone holdout. She made it clear she is not a fan of auto-flush toilets and finicky sinks that don’t always produce water.
“I have been traveling, and I was in a lot of airports. There were a lot of unflushed toilets in the bathrooms in the airports,” she said.
Kempa added that she “must have invisible hands” because she is never able to coax water out of the faucets of sensory sinks.
Kempa also questioned the wisdom of taking on the costly bathroom project ahead of a comprehensive overhaul of Savannah Center, which is already on the AAC’s capital improvement calendar for 2030-31.
“We can’t wait and do it all at once?” Kempa asked. “What will the renovation include? We did the carpets. Now we’re doing the bathrooms. What will we have left to do?”
Director of Property Management Mike Harris said the renovation is immediately needed for the restrooms at Savannah Center, which is a heavily used entertainment venue.
“They are in bad shape,” Harris said.
He said the Savannah Center will remain open during the 90-day bathroom project. Portable restrooms will be set up in the Savannah Center parking lot.
Do you love or loathe auto-flush toilets and touchless sinks? Share your thoughts at [email protected].