The Empty Prize (Motto: "Now available in 2-ply rolls!") is reporting that the projected cost of repairing the pool will likely exceed $100,000. And that the problem was caused by (get ready .....) lack of maintenance - specifically lack of re-grouting.
For several years, there has been discussion about the need for pool grouting and the risk of not maintaining it. People who raised these concerns were then generally surrounded by a charming crowd of delusional folks reeking of chlorine, holding pitch forks and torches in their shriveled fingers, leaving wet footprints on the carpet and claiming how much money the pool was "making" for the District.
Some of these folks even liked to start their monologues by stating what foreign land they were from -- as if there was a UN Treaty someplace that required the taxpayers of Sandwich to provide our Mashpee, Bourne, or Barnstable neighbors with free recreational services!
And, almost predictably, every discussion of an impending Armageddon of pool-related costs was met by offers of fundraising, bake sales, sponsorships, demands for increased town contributions, etc. (Anybody else notice there was no overwhelming feeling that those USING the pool should contribute to its cost?)
Contributions to date: $0.00
The School Budget continued to absorb a large part of the pool's operating costs -- including the construction of "changing rooms" (aka "The Lifeguard Love Shacks") -- until that weekend when 80,000 gallons of water "disappeared" from the pool to parts unknown. THAT was the point when some people started to think that maybe that previously-discussed re-grouting wasn't a myth.
And, for those Doubting Thomases, the theory was confirmed when yet another consulting firm was brought in to deliver The Bad News.
The Superintendent continues to state he will repair the pool -- but nobody has stated HOW that will be funded.
I want to be clear -- my only concern is that we be honest about WHO is paying for WHAT. If this will be used primarily as a school facility -- Fine, lets see some "Pool" lines in the School Budget. If it is going to be a "Community Pool", also fine, let's see some "Pool" lines in the Town Budget. If it's going to be shared -- show me what the true costs are and show me who is paying them. (Something that has never been done.)
When it comes time to make budget decisions, I want it to be very clear if we are choosing the pool over Reading and Writing -- or over Police and Fire services.
THAT is what "transparency" is.
UPDATE --- The CCT reported that the cost would be in excess of $30,000 -- This is based strictly on what the engineering report shows as the cost of repairing the the current grouting situation. The $100,000 number reported by the Emptyprize includes the Superintendent's own estimate of what it may cost to perform additional work that is likely necessary to the pool mechanical systems. No actual estimate has been received for that work yet.
UPDATE --- The CCT reported that the cost would be in excess of $30,000 -- This is based strictly on what the engineering report shows as the cost of repairing the the current grouting situation. The $100,000 number reported by the Emptyprize includes the Superintendent's own estimate of what it may cost to perform additional work that is likely necessary to the pool mechanical systems. No actual estimate has been received for that work yet.
16 comments:
The only price discrepancy I could find when reading the CCT article is Mr. Hall talking about hiring another firm (engineering) to get a price for the heating system (mechanicals) for the pool. Because that is what initially shut down the pool.
I'm guessing here but it sounds like the mechanicals haven't been fixed to make the pool operational. So maybe the grouting, fixing the mechanicals and of course hiring two firms to tells us the cost for repairs, is where Dr. Canfield got the $100,000figure.
Or another reason for the $100,000 figure, is that it's just another way for the school administration to get extra money and not use it for its designated purpose (pool repairs)and save for another purchase down the road. Instead of giving any leftover pool repair money back to the town.
Boy that just sounded cynical.
You are totally missing the point Bob with your cost, cost, cost focus.
Here’s what you really need to focus on:
The Sandwich Wahoos swim club loves to swim.
The Dive team is full of wonderful, talented, decent kids.
Swimming is great therapy and very beneficial exercise for young and old alike.
The users of the pool really like it and (when operating) it’s very affordable for folks from all over the Cape to swim in our pool.
Questions like: Who’s going to pay? And, how can we afford this? And, if we spend money on the pool what are we not funding? aren’t very helpful. In fact, they’re divisive!
And, pointing out (again and again) that this mess was totally avoidable if the pool had been maintained properly and costs allocated prudently – including setting swim user fees at a level that would cover operating expenses – is just plain mean.
Me? I’m thinking happy thoughts and dreaming of the day when the pool reopens and everyone splashes and frolics together. Remember Bob, it’s a COMMUNITY pool.
Brother Bob did it ever mean that our concern for the cost to maintain the pool was other then being transparent with the peoples money? It has been stated many times that the ise of the pool to maintain it and use it should be borne by the people who use it.
If as you stated above that the children are to use it then it should as you stated come out of the school budget, with a line item breakdown Now on the other hand if taxpayers and outside user are to benifit from its use they they also must share in the cost to operate and maintain it. That money should come from the town side of the budget, again with a line item breakdown.
In total agreement that with an truthful system in place , then we have complete trasparency to the task at hand and that will finaly become a goal of many here who have spouted for changes in how we support a pool that no one want to pay for , but rather just keep using it with leaks and all.
To 11.17 your commentary as to the pool is a community pool, sound more like you are speaking from a veiw point that you were using the pool , but did not share the cost to operate it.??
Then again one could take your comments with a little tongue in cheek, generally speaking??
If any of your comments are such, you should understand that your job may only have been lost for a short time had a better understandment of how to better manage a money producing source of income, needs to have complete transparent system in place rather then the one that allowed this pool to go the way it did.
It was undermined by those that felt repairing it while it was operating did not fit the correct profile in how to manage a valued resource and those who also found another way to make a buck off the backs of the children from our district
I'm betting on tongue-in-cheek!
From the editorial pages of the CCT today July 9th.
Mid- and Upper Cape need another community pool August 09, 2013
On Monday, Aug. 12, at 5:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Barnstable Town Hall, residents of Falmouth, Mashpee, Sandwich and Barnstable have the opportunity to come together and create a plan for another 25-meter pool.
Currently, the YMCA is the only large pool serving this region with the exception of the Sandwich High School pool. However, this pool requires extensive repairs, as outlined in your Aug. 7 report.
This is the perfect opportunity for both the Sandwich community and residents of the Upper and Mid-Cape to develop a partnership resulting in a win-win for all parties. Can we all come together and help Sandwich reopen an asset to this community? Can the Sandwich schools work with residents to help them get it up and running?
Let's see how residents can get creative, cooperative and give swimming, water aerobics and pool therapy back to Cape Cod. It is an exercise that all ages can use not only for pleasure but also for their health and safety!
I urge residents to come to the Barnstable Recreation Commission meeting and share their ideas.
Diane Klaiber
Marstons Mills
Anyone going?
Wonderful!
Kind, caring folks like me and Diane Klaiber understand that swimming is all about Community.
How great that Diane – who apparently is unwilling herself to pay for the pool – has thought of a way to possibly get taxpayers from the entire county to foot the bill. Ingenious!
Kudos to Diane for imagining the possibilities! I am very sure that the non-swimmers in Bourne, Barnstable and Mashpee will embrace the Sandwich pool project despite all the negative, mean spirited blogging Bob & Co continue to do.
I would like to share my idea ----
"if you use it YOU pay for it!"
Spare me the "come together" bullshit. When I hear that I know that somebody is about to put their hand in my pocket.
I would hope the Sandwich Schools open the discussion with the comment "show me the money".
Let the Y build another pool (paid for by users) -- give the tax payers a break!
Did you notice it was someone from Marstons Mills urging that the Sandwich pool be re-opened?
As I recall, Barnstable tried to raise the price for Sandy Neck Beach stickers last year -- THAT didn't seem very neighborly!
So this "group" raises money to "fix" the pool. But the pool is still on town property and will need to be "maintained" by the town. So where will the money come from? Sounds like a vicious circle to me.
Plus it sounds like Dr. Canfield only wants the pool for school use; STEM, swim & dive teams and special needs students. Which probably means practices before and after school, since the pool will be used during the school day for school programs.
Which begs the question when do these people think they are going to have access to the pool? Don't forget swim meets have to happen too. So it looks like there wouldn't be much if any access during the school year.
Just wondering if the return on this groups investment would really be a benefit for them, since it would appear they won't have much access to the pool.
Or am I just being confused?
Looks like you raised the Million Dollar question -- It's already become fairly obvious that the pool will never be available to the public during school hours -- for obvious security reasons.
So this sounds like yet another gathering of the chronically clueless. They should stay home and build a pool in their own Town instead of distracting the local School District with more nonsense. They've already got a full plate!
My how we all have such tunnel vision. The answer is so simple and will reap not only financial savings but also deliver to Sandwich the potential for developing a first class Olympic sport venue for our kids! That should get your attention Sandwichians! Easy Beans. We fill the damn pool with beach sand which is free and readily available on our beautiful rock covered beaches! I know there has to be sand beneath those cobblestones! Once filled with soft, beautiful sugar-sand, our new Athletic Director can begin the development of our new Olympic Beach VolleyBall program. Just imagine the tiny bikini clad youngsters holding collection cans outside our local Stop and Shops as they raise money for sand rakes and of course new team uniforms. We can save the money we used to pay life guards and can probably hire some really inexpensive umpires to ref the games. After all, if this is going to be the new Community School moneymaker we won't have to hire a unionized school teacher type, methinks. Hell, we can even have a Seniors League for all our visiting dignitaries from Marstons Mills, Mashpee,etc. They will, of course, have to provide their own knee braces and wrist guards due to the obvious deterioration in muscle strength due to the pool being closed. I see nothing but positives her, an opportunity for Dr Canfield to turn rck into gold. After all, isn't that what STEM is all about Just thinkin....
Excellent!
But, I bet Conservation Commission wouldn't let them move the sand!
Maybe Barnstable could contribute the sand?
Let the bikini-clad fundraising begin!
Dr Canfield doesn’t understand our rich history.
In 1734 at Town Meeting a promise was made that if the swimming hole got dug then forever more town folk could swim in it.
Just because its 2013 doesn’t mean that the promise isn’t enforceable.
The pool isn’t a school pool it’s a COMMUNITY pool.
It is only a community pool if other then the students pay for it.
Perhaps all of the outside folks from other towns would like to formulate a committee to determine how they will pay our town for its use and up keep? The non taxpayers of Sandwich need to find the means to put in place a revolving fund of capitol that assures they all meet there obligation from a financial veiw point[ no more free rides for non taxpayers of Sandwich] under the guise of a community pool.
Greg like your idea on the sandy beach volly ball court, they could become sand swimmers, goggles and all
The top capital-spending priorities as listed on the town’s webside include a public safety building, roads, water resources management and beach erosion prevention. Secondary priorities include what to do with the Wing School, STEM, a senior/community center and library facilities. The lowest priorities include a recreation field plan, a marina office building and pedestrian and bike-path improvements. Maybe my eyes are bad but Pool I am pretty sure repairs aint on the list.
Could it be that years after this Pool issue first surfaced nobody has bothered to seek funding for repairs through the appropriate channel?
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