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From: Pat Hayes
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006
Subject: Enquirer article and Municipal Pool
I have not read but was told about an article in today's Enquirer on the Wyoming Municipal Pool where City Councilmember Vicki Zwissler indicated that the past-president of the Swim Club (me) was not interested in talking with the the City about mutually beneficial options for both facilities. Again, in a conversation with a current Swim Club member over the weekend Vicki apparently misrepresented the meeting I had with City Manager Bob Harrison.
As many of you know, here's what happened:
On Mar 15, 2004 I met with Bob to understand the City's plans for replacing the Municipal Pool and to explore any interest on the City's part for looking at a combined facility (if we were not interested in talking with the City, why would I have talked with Bob in the first place?). We talked about the City's plans, combining efforts, use of WSC property, membership, and other facets of the pool and the community's needs. Bob conveyed the following:
1. They had finalized design for a $2.1MM (at that time) pool on the existing footprint of the Municipal Pool.
2. They felt that was the best location and were not interested in the city pool being on the hill.
3. Parking, for one, presented a concern and also whether there was enough land to build the pool
4. The City could not offer Swim Club members a significant or sustained benefit for giving up the land (for other uses). Possibly a reduction in fees or a year's membership to the new pool.
5. Membership would be open to non-Wyoming residents. (I indicated obviously fine to do but already a departure from the private status of the Swim Club and with the potential increase in the number of members and some disciplinary issues at the time at the Municipal Pool could be a concern for a number of members)
There did not seem to be an open path for moving the conversation forward although if anything changed we would talk. We were not made aware of the City's subsequent decision to relocate to the Rec Center and expand the scope of the project. To suggest the Swim Club was not interested in talking with the City is simply wrong. We have been concerned about the current state of the Swim Club and the impact of the Municipal Pool for some time now; that is well-known. In short, it was the City, not the Swim Club, that was not interested in further exploring use of the Swim Club property or able to reasonably compensate Swim Club members for foregoing this valuable asset.
Happy to answer any questions you may have.
Regards,
Pat