Town of Barrhead’s final pool proposal could halt any further discussions regarding a new aquatic centre for residents.
The Town’s latest proposal was an ultimatum stating that the County pay 40 per cent of the net operating costs or the project would cease on August 8, 2014. As of press time, the County has not responded to the Town’s final proposal but, in my opinion, there is no chance that the County will accept that offer.
If the County accepts the offer it will look like they are giving in to the Town’s aggressive tactics. If they choose not to accept the offer, they would end up looking like the bad guys in the eyes of some residents. This is a no-win situation.
I am still quite adamant that both municipalities have made mistakes when it has come to the new aquatic centre. The County was unwilling to budge on their stance of the 40 per cent of net operating costs and the Town was completely wrong to provide a final ultimatum to the County.
If I was in the Town’s shoes, I could have provided the County with a number of different proposals instead of a final ultimatum. I would have recommended that both municipalities go to a mediator or arbitrator to sort out their differences or provide the County with a number of different options regarding the net operating costs. The Town could have agreed in principle to the County’s offer of 40 per cent of specific operating costs and then asked for only ten or 20 per cent of the staffing costs. The Town chose to go with the ultimatum instead and that was a mistake.
I know that both Councils are frustrated by this entire situation, as are most residents, but the people that are most to blame are the Councils themselves. They both made choices that have affected the new pool and its residents. The most frustrating part about this entire situation is the two Councils were so close to completing a deal and now it will probably fall through because both Councils were unwilling or unable to accept compromise and/or change.
Inter-municipal negotiations are so important to the success and growth of a community and if the two Councils can’t agree on a pool how will they be able to agree on more important matters down the road.
The Town and County of Barrhead have done more for inter-municipal negotiations over the past few months than some Councils have done in years. They have agreed that the town and its residents need a pool and have agreed on the capital investment from each party. For some other municipalities, those are usually the two biggest stumbling blocks for any specific project to get off the ground but these two municipalities have agreed on those issues without any real animosity. Now, you get to the operating costs, usually something pretty simple to negotiate, and that is where the pool will come to a screeching halt. It doesn’t make sense and it is difficult to swallow.
Think of the pool situation like a game of stickball between two kids. The County wants to play by their own rules and the Town won’t accept their rules so the County puts their foot down and says they won’t play until the Town accepts their rules. Then the Town turns around saying they won’t accept the County’s rules so they take their ball and go home.
Why don’t the two groups of elected officials start acting like adults and try to come to an amicable solution that works best for the people that are the most important group; the residents that elected them to their respective offices?
