August 2014

Full steam ahead on the indoor pool at Spellerberg

l3wis August 4, 2014 8Comments

But wait, what about that Quit Claim deed?

The first public indoor pool is scheduled to open by fall 2016. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held Aug. 11 at Spellerberg Park after voters cleared the way for the project in April’s citywide election.

“Now we’re able to move forward,” said Alicia Luther, the recreation manager for the parks and recreation department.

Moving forward starts quickly. The site, which includes the city’s oldest outdoor pool, will be demolished starting this month. The design work will take place this fall and construction on the new facility begins next spring.

There is no mention if the quit claim deed has been resolved with the VA. I do know that the city hired outside legal counsel for contracts, etc. involving the indoor pool. Part of that counseling was about obtaining a resolution with the VA (essentially getting written contract permission from them to build an indoor pool on land that has a quit claim deed attached to it). I hope the city is not foolish enough to have a ground breaking next Monday without having this detail resolved, of course they have done dumber things, for instance taking ownership of the EC before the siding issue was resolved. I know the city council will be having an executive session tomorrow, hopefully the deed will be discussed.

The council plans to take some authority on banning alcohol in the parks

l3wis August 4, 2014 12Comments

If you read Item #40 on the council agenda, you will see the council is requesting to take some power away from the Parks Board;

(e) To review and make recommendations to the mayor and city council on any matters affecting

the establishment, improvement, maintenance, and regulation of the parks, including any

proposed revisions to this chapter 95. The issues shall be submitted to the board for

recommendation prior to official action; and

(f) Advise and assist the parks and recreation director relative to parks and recreation; .and

(g) Nothing in chapter 95 shall prohibit city council official action governing the use of the city’s public parks.

While this is a great first move by the city council, it will take a while to ban alcohol in the park. This is the 1^st reading, and they can’t approve it until a second reading, then there is a 20 day waiting period before it takes affect, then the 1^st & 2^nd reading process starts all over for banning the alcohol. I still believe this could be done by an executive order by the mayor, but he seems to want to wash his hands of the situation. Drove by about 5 PM last night at Van Eps. Several people were ‘napping’ in the park. Actually it looked like a civil war battlefield.

Speaking of the Parks Board, I see long time member Mark Millage is being replaced;

Mark Steinborn; Parks and Recreation Board Appointed for a term from July 2014 through July 2019 (to replace Mark Millage).