I understand that the city has not set the fees for the pool yet. The
$2.50 fee is reccommended by the pool committee as needed to operate the
pool in the black. City councilman Tony Johnson clearly stated to the
council that one of the best parts of the pool committees proposal was
routine upkeep and expenses would not cost the taxpayers. One of the main
concerns with all other options not proposed by the pool committee was the
cost to the city taxpayers for maintainence and operations. I can only
conclude, from both the pool committee recommendation and the council's
acceptence that, if the bond passes, this pool will not be subsidized by
city resident tax dollars. If my conclusion is not correct, then the city
council should inform the voting public of the correct situation before the
bond election.
John Danahy
jdanahy@turbonet.com
----------
> From: Tom Lamar <tlamar@moscow.com>
> To: JDANAHY@turbonet.com
> Cc: vision2020@moscow.com
> Subject: Re: Dear Editor
> Date: Sunday, May 17, 1998 5:51 PM
>
> John,
>
> Mayor Comstock has submitted a letter to the editor clarifying some
> misconceptions including the claims that the council has set fees at
$2.50
> per user.
>
> In his letter, he writes, "First of all the fees that will be charged for
> the use of the pool have not been set by the city. It has only been
> estimated what these fees might be in broad general terms. The city has
> maintained a philosophy of charging fees that reflect the actual direct
> cost of providing a service, without setting fees that would discourage
> children and families from activities and programs."
>
> The Mayor goes on to say, "If the community votes to approve the bond
levy
> then the City will move forward with the planning process and will evolve
> from the conceptual to the actual design. At that point development
costs,
> maintenance costs, operational costs and policies will be decided."
>
> Hopefully, the Mayor's letter will be printed soon to clear up this
concern.
>
> Tom Lamar
>
>
> >Pool Questions for the City Council
> >
> >The City Council, in accepting the pool committees proposal, has
promised
> >the residents of Moscow that the new pool, if funded, will operate "in
the
> >black". This means all maintenance and operating expenses will be paid
for
> >by user fees. With the current fee structure of @$2.50 per entry,
almost
> >80,000 entries are needed to fund the proposed pool. I would request
that
> >the City council answer two questions before the election.
> >1) If the user fees fail to provide enough to cover expenses, what will
> >the council do? Raise taxes? Raise fees?
> >2) At the current per entry fee of $2.50, how many families in our
> >community will not be able to afford to use our new "community pool"?
> >
> >John Danahy
> >2341 Henry Ct.
> >Moscow ID
> >883-0926
> >jdanahy@turbonet.com
>
>