As we begin to close out the calendar year, Christiansburg residents can look forward to the opening of a long awaited community pool, a la ACC aquatic center, and a new budget cycle. The two are now inextricably connected. Looking back through the minutes of public meetings, readers find the following timeline:
July 2002, Councilmen Barber and Weaver acted as an ad hoc committee for the site selection of what began as a community pool. They endorsed the V.V. Lester Farm for the aquatic center's location and urged immediate action in order to "stay within the ten-year plan." Question: What year was the "ten-year plan" created, and what was the process?
April 2004, council acted upon a grant for funding a trail project to the future aquatic center. Question: Anyone seen those funds or know of a trail built to this site?
April 2004, council formed another aquatic ad hoc committee which included the town manager, the assistant town manager, the recreation director, current council members Carter and Wade, and three others. Question: What happened to this committee and why was it never heard from again in public records?
September 2004, previous ad-hoc committee member Barber and Councilman Huppert were asking for updates on the project, with the town manager indicating donations were being solicited to cover the $2.5 million additional costs for building a 50-meter pool. The town manager promised an economic package by October. That never happened but a bond with an estimated principal amount of $13,000,000 was approved in December and the town manager told council that 40% to 60% of operating expenses would be recouped through membership fees, meets and practices. This debt also provided for completion of the Harkrader Ball Complex.
January 2006, the town manager and attorney had been meeting with Lionberger Construction and Architect Glenn Reynolds regarding a possible public/private partnership. Lionberger would build it and and the town would buy it and these discussions were reported to council through March 2006.
June 2006, Virginia Tech asked the town to research additional costs relative to bringing the facility into ACC compliance, with the town manager indicating this would add at least $2 million to the existing price tag. That's when the related contract between VT and the town was drafted, but as of today it has yet to be executed. Question: Does anyone else think these "additional costs" may have increased over the past 30 months?
September 2006 an unsolicited proposal was received by the town from a contractor interested in building the aquatic center. Question: Can anyone use three guesses and not figure out who submitted the unsolicited proposal?
December 2006, council authorized the town manager to enter into an interim agreement with Lionberger Construction because, as part of the public/private partnership requirements under the Virginia Procurement Code, the town could not negotiate the VT/ACC expansion until an interim agreement had been signed and approved. Or was that approved and signed? Question: Aren't we still waiting for the town/VT contract?
January 2007, the town's website still promised the opening of the aquatic center within 12 months and the OSHA report on a fatal accident at the site was due. In February and March, council members were still asking the town manager for updates or information, indicating they were perhaps as clueless as regular citizens about the project's status and costs. In June, the town manager reported he was still meeting with the town's attorney and contractor and architect regarding a draft agreement, and referenced a 20 year payment from VT. Question: Was the path for collecting these funds up front realized, possibly through the bonding company used for the debt? Note: The related town debt shows as originating from another locality's Industrial Development Authority (IDA), which makes one wonder whether those citizens know local economic funding has provided a pool for Christiansburg.
August 2008, a position budgeted for since 2004 but unfilled was addressed with the hiring of an aquatics director.
October 2008, the mayor resuscitates a group to seek more donations for the aquatic center. Question: Is anyone worried yet about future tax rates for Christiansburg residents and business?
November 2008, the mayor asks for interested persons to apply to serve on the aquatic center's advisory commission. Question: What ever happened, again, to the second ad hoc committee formed in 2004?
Hopefully, once the town's revamped website appears on January 1, 2009, any viewer can scan town council minutes and see all this history. Until then, it's available courtesy of a citizen. Hopefully, town council will soon see a viable business plan and enough public support of this new facility once it opens later this winter and so will not have to increase town taxes in the future.