Wednesday, 27 January 2010 17:00

Ione Parks & Rec Recommends Against New City Pool Project

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slide2-_ione_parks__rec_recommends_against_new_city_pool_project.pngAmador County – The Ione Parks & Recreation Commission on Tuesday decided to make a recommendation to the Ione City Council to not pursue building a new swimming pool, noting that the city would be about $1.2 million short of the cost to build it, with no source identified for operating funds. City Manger Kim Kerr said she will be putting more information together, to take to the Ione City Council in mid-February. Kerr said the recommendation would forego a state grant of $500,000, in part because it would cover only a portion of the estimated cost of $1.7 million of the original project to build a new swimming pool and facility at Howard Park. Recreation commissioners agreed that raising the remaining $1.2 million and then finding operations and maintenance funding were more that the city should attempt. It agreed to recommend releasing the grant back to the state. Kerr said it is “not final, but it is the commission’s recommendation.” She said the city “can’t reprogram funds” to use the money for a different project, and it “becomes an issue of operations and maintenance.” She said the city would have to raise $1.2 million to fund the rest of the project. Kerr will follow up with Ione Junior High School and Ione Marlins Swim Team, to make sure they still support the city in giving up the grant and keeping the junior high school’s pool in use, and helping with maintenance. Kerr may look at other ways to get funding for a new pool operation, and plans to take the commission’s recommendation, with additional data, to the City Council for its February 16th meeting. Kerr said the council must determine whether it is “a viable project to build another swimming pool.” She said when the council realized it had the grant about 6 years ago, the council reportedly held a lot of discussion, and many people came out and many told the city council not to build the pool. The grant money must be spent by 2012. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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