Editor:
It does not look like the Sweet Home School District will be able to fund the operation of our community swimming pool in the future. We, as a community, need to decide if it is worth the time, effort, and money to continue the programs offered at our local pool.
We can do this by placing a ballot measure on the 2012 election schedule. The Sweet Home Aquatics District Committee is working towards this goal. This will mean a raise in taxes of approximately 25 cents per $1,000 per year. This amounts to $25 on a home valued at $100,000. Another way of looking at it is for 07 cents per day, we can keep our pool and the programs it provides in full operation. I know how hard it is for most of us to vote for higher taxes, especially if you are on a fixed income. However, the alternative is to completely close the pool and drop all of the programs it provides.
The School District is facing a $1.5 million dollar shortfall this coming year. They receive no extra funding to operate the pool. At this point the Aquatic District Committee is working with the School District to try and figure out a way to keep the pool operating on a limited schedule with the idea of bringing the question to the voters in May of 2012. This date is set because of the double majority issues that are involved with this type of ballot measure.
If the School District does not fund the program they will need to mothball the pool until the election results are determined. This in itself will cost the District approximately $30,000. The hope of the Aquatics Committee is that funds can be raised by the community to help cover another $30,000 to keep the pool operational until the election. If all of these efforts fail, the pool will most likely be decommissioned. Once placed out of service, the likelihood of reopening the pool is very doubtful.
The programs offered at the pool do much more than support a swim team or teach children to swim. The pool is used by most of the sports teams to rehabilitate athletes that have been injured. It also is used by many of our senior citizens to help them to rehabilitate themselves after an illness or surgery. Large numbers of citizens use the pool as part of their own health routine. The pool benefits at least 15,000 people within the Sweet Home School District boundaries.
Every year our swimming and water polo programs are among the best in the state. There are few swim programs that have produced athletes like ours who can compete on local, state and national levels. One final question we need to ask ourselves is how important is it that our children learn to swim? We live in an area surrounded by water. Shouldn’t all of our children know how to swim? Is it worth 07 cents a day to make sure our children are safe?
Do we want to be a community that reflects upon the past or do we want to be a community that builds for the future? Reflecting on the past is fine, but I think we need to build for the future. Join me in helping to get this measure on the ballot and then vote to pass it. Over the next few months many citizens will be asking registered voters to sign a petition to place this question before the voters in May of 2012. I encourage you to sign one of these petitions and to provide your support in the formation of a local Aquatic District that will keep our pool open.
Jeanie West
Sweet Home