Editorial: City residents who want indoor pool must speak up now
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012 – Every time election season arrives, one of the topics that invariably comes up in discussion is the construction of a community facility that includes an indoor pool.
“I’ll tell you right now, from the City’s point of view, operating an indoor pool is a losing proposition,” Sheckles said. “For that to be a feasible operation, it’ll have to be some public funding and some major private funding involved.”— Mayor Bill Sheckles
|
Discussion of the possibility of an indoor pool goes back six or seven years; back then, the City of Bardstown’s recreation board gathered information about the feasibility of such a facility. The effort died when there were disagreements over management and ownership of the facility.
In the years since, city and county residents have not quit asking elected leaders about an indoor pool. Nelson County Judge Executive Dean Watts and Nelson Fiscal Court have solicited bids in order to take the first step to making an indoor pool a reality; a feasibility study.
The study presumably would provide local leaders with information on which to guide their decisions and the direction to go — provided an indoor pool is feasible.
At last Tuesday’s city council meeting, Mayor Bill Sheckles told the council that Watts had approached him and asked if the city would be willing to help pay a portion of the cost of the feasibility study. The price tag for the study is approximately $19,000.
Sheckles made it VERY clear he does not have a favorable view of helping fund the feasibility study. While Sheckles does not control how the council votes, he has considerable influence.
The request to share funding already may be akin to pouring salt in a festering wound. At this time, city government has a financial bone to pick with Nelson Fiscal Court. According to the city, county government is not paying its fair share of costs in interlocal agreements and joint city-county boards. The city and county governments have different perspectives, but the bottom line is that city government officials believe the county isn’t paying enough in most cases.
This simmering feud is a threat to city-county cooperation on a project that city and county residents want to see happen. The feasibility study is a vital first step.
City residents who would like to see an indoor pool come to Bardstown need to speak up, and they need to speak up NOW. Contact Mayor Sheckles and the council and tell them you believe the city should agree to help county government pay for the feasibility study.
We can sit and armchair quarterback the feasibility of an indoor pool in our community; we can argue for and against. But until this project is examined by an independent third party, we really don’t know the possibilities. And what’s worse, we can’t plan to make any of them a reality. The mayor and council should set aside their differences with county government and do what is in the best interest of their constituents — all of whom are also county residents.
Contact your elected city officials by clicking their e-mails below. The sooner, the better!
Mayor Bill Sheckles
Home: (502) 348-2346
City Hall: (502) 348-5947 ext. 2207
mayorsheckles@bardstowncable.net
Councilman Francis Lydian
Home: (502) 348-5835
flydian@bardstowncable.net
Councilman Bobby Simpson
Home: (502) 348-5224
bcsimp@bardstowncable.net
Councilman Tommy Reed
Home: (502) 348-8594
treed@bardstowncable.net
Councilman Roland Williams
Home: (502) 348-5433
coach_roe@yahoo.com
Councilman Fred Hagan
Home: (502) 348-4736
fredpat@bardstown.com
Councilman Joe Buckman
Home: (502) 348-4002
joebuckman@bardstowncable.net
-30-
