Barrhead County Council’s position on the proposed pool has been called a “slap in the face” of the Agrena Society, the Town council and local residents.
The comment came from pool fundraising leader Shannon Carlson, Barrhead &District Agrena Society president.
“It’s time for the County council to lead instead of following,” he said.
Reeve Bill Lee, however, defended the County’s position, saying the municipality was being fiscally responsible by setting a $5 million spending cap on a pool.
He said the council considered it very important for the community to live within its means.
Other councillors voiced support for a pool, but said it had to be affordable.
Coun. Bill Lane said the County had more than the pool project on its plate.
“We have only so much money to go round,” he said.
The comments came at last Tuesday’s Barrhead County Council meeting.
Last month the County agreed on the wording to a pool plebiscite which will be put to its residents early this year, possibly in March.
The question will be: “Are you in favour of the County of Barrhead No. 11 borrowing a maximum of $5 million dollars for the purpose of providing a maximum $5 million dollar contribution to the Town of Barrhead for the Town’s construction of a swimming pool?”
Lee said the borrowing ceiling was set after talks with Municipal Affairs, the financial department and the auditor.
At the Oct. 21 municipal election, a Town plebiscite asked its residents: “Subject to fundraising $1,000,000 from other sources, do you support the Town of Barrhead borrowing up to $7,000,000 to finance the $15,000,000 new aquatic centre, with the understanding that it will result in an estimated tax increase of $95 for every $100,000 in property assessed value and the project will not proceed unless the County of Barrhead supports the project at 50 per cent of the costs?”
Nine hundred and thirty-four voted “yes,” 625 voted “no.”
Last Tuesday, Carlson told County councillors that he had met them in May 2011 to ask for their support in building a new aquatic centre to be enjoyed by the Town and County residents.
“I explained that we needed a 50 per cent commitment from the County to make this possible,” he said.
“During that meeting and on two other occasions your council said it needed more concrete figures as to what it would cost.
“I always said that because we don’t know exactly the costs of what we are building the costs are speculative and unreliable.”
Carlson said the architects had pegged $15m as the number that would bring a pool to Barrhead in keeping with the times and good enough to serve the area for years to come.
The Town used this figure to ask its residents for permission to borrow $7 million, on the understanding the County would match that figure, said Carlson.
“I can go into a lot of detail about the County’s lack of commitment over the last two and a half years we have been speaking about this project,” he said.
“But your recent decision to have a plebiscite based on a $5 million commitment says it all.
“You waited for the Town to lead instead of joining them in a plebiscite that made sense for both councils.
“Besides the fact your commitment is $2 million short of what is required to move forward it renders the Town’s plebiscite redundant.”
Carlson said the Town – whose residents are already highly taxed – had come up with the means to borrow $7m even though it has $2 million in reserve. Why then could the County only come up with $5m when it has reserves of $11m?
“You say your decision is based on your borrowing capacity,” said Carlson. “Why did it take two and a half years for you to decide that’s your borrowing capacity?”
Carlson said the Agrena Society last year had finally got tired of waiting for a commitment on the pool and began fundraising.
“Even with all the speculation about the County’s position we raised $100,000,” he said. “Several County and Town residents walked into my office and cut large cheques to the pool. Also during fundraising we have been getting a lot of cheques from County residents.
“They specifically say to me ‘Shannon, keep it up, They are bound to see the light’.”
Carlson said the County recently cancelled his request to meet councillors to consider the Agrena Society’s views before the plebiscite decision.
“Now I understand why,” he said. “I consider the County’s position a slap in the face of the Agrena Society, the Town council, the residents of the Town, and most of all the County residents. Total disregard for the work done on their behalf. It’s time for the County council to lead instead of following.”
Carlson added it had been hard for him to make these comments.
“That was kind of hard to take,” Lee replied. “You don’t have all the facts.”
“I wasn’t given an opportunity to get the facts,” said Carlson.
Lee said the Town’s plebiscite had been that municipality’s decision, not the County’s.
Drawing comparisons with buying a car or piece of machinery, he said it amounted to good financial prudence for the buyer to know what he can borrow and what he can pay. The County believes very strongly in living within its means, said Lee.
Lee said the County wanted to abide by its mission statement: “To provide good governance and sustainable services to enhance our municipality.”
The $5 million figure wasn’t pulled out of the air, he added.
Carlson asked how the Town could agree on a $7m figure, but not the County.
“Ask them if they went to their auditor and Municipal Affairs,” said Lee. “Ask them how much they checked up how much the debt burden would be.”
County Manager Mark Oberg said although the municipality had money in reserves, it was already allocated to various projects. He pointed out the pool was a Town project and would become a Town asset on its books.
Carlson said he understood the desire for good bookkeeping, but asked why the County was not on board with the Town council, attending meetings and acting in unison.
He asked why the County did not get involved in discussions and take a lead.
“I would like to see from the County in the last two and half years I’ve been dealing with this one positive thing that you’ve given me that says ‘these guys are on board’.”
Coun. Darrell Troock said $5m did represent a commitment. He added the County had no input into the Town’s decision to settle on $7m.
“That was their baby,” he said.
At this stage a motion was passed for the discussion to continue in camera.
In the afternoon, after Carlson had departed, several councillors made closing remarks on the pool issue. Troock said the County’s focus was to look after its ratepayers.
“It’s a matter of what we can afford,” he said.
Coun. Lane said the County had been doing its homework to figure out what the project was going to cost. It meant ratepayers will have accurate figures when they vote in the plebiscite.
Coun. Doug Drozd (Division 1) said the pool issue had not been on the forefront of people’s minds when he campaigned during the recent election.
Those he managed to engage in conversation on the pool agreed it was perhaps needed, but were mindful of costs.
“I never got anyone with same mindset we are getting in the Town,” he said.
Lane (Division 4), however, said residents in his division were very supportive of the pool.
Coun. Marvin Schatz voiced support for a pool, but said it had to be affordable.
“There is not a whole bunch of money out there,” he said.
The pool project took off in earnest on Jan. 28, 2013 when Barrhead Town Council announced the proposed site of the pool, a five-acre parcel of raw land at the corner of 49 Street and 58 Avenue, across from the Petro-Canada gas station. Belonging to the Wes Schneider family, it cost $175,000. On March 1, Edmonton-based Barr Ryder unveiled pre-design drawings at the Agrena Society’s Open House at the Multi-Purpose Room.
The concepts feature a six-lane 25-metre pool, zero depth entry pool, a 24-person whirlpool and a current channel similar to a lazy river.
Their projected costs are $17,250,000, $14,689,000 and $14,648,000.
