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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-16-17 Public Comment - P. Grigsby - Swim Center BulkheadFrom:Chris Mehl To:Agenda Subject:FW: Going forward with swimming Date:Wednesday, August 16, 2017 10:21:41 AM Chris Mehl Bozeman City Commission cmehl@bozeman.net 406.581.4992 ________________________________________ From: Paul Grigsby [pgrigsby@grigsbylaw.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2017 9:17 AM To: Carson Taylor; Chris Mehl Cc: Gary Tabor Subject: Re: Going forward with swimming Commissioners Taylor and Mehl— I am writing in support of Gary Tabor’s objections to the decision to install a bulkhead in the Swim Center pool. I am surprised at the stealth with which the bulkhead decision was made, with no input from other constituencies in the swimming community. I am an active lap swimmer, and my daughter is a new member of the Barracudas swim team. I have been swimming at the Swim Center for about seventeen years and have had an annual pass for at least twelve of those years. For the first three or four years I drove over from Livingston. I am at the Swim Center 3-4 times per week, except for when I swim at Bogert Pool. Not once in the past year did I receive notice of the possibility of a bulkhead. On occasion I overheard rumors about a bulkhead, but they were only that—unreliable rumors. I never saw or received any kind of notice or information from the Swim Center management, the City Recreation Department, or any other city department. On one hand I understand some of the swim team’s reasons for wanting a bulkhead. The Barracudas are a great organization and Bozeman is fortunate to have a swim team with dedicated coaches, and tremendous parent and community support. Likewise we are lucky to have the Multi-Sport Aquatic swim team for Bozeman kids. But there are many facets, comprising a large number of people, to the Bozeman swimming community, and the City allowed one of those facets to dictate the usage of the facility. While adding a bulkhead might not be a large monetary decision, it has a huge impact and basically eliminates Bozeman, and a large region for that matter, from having an indoor, long-course pool. As is sometimes said in the legal world, it doesn’t pass the red-face test. I’m not sure how any one can legitimately and with a straight face argue that the process that led to this decision was fair and done in the spirit of democracy, or that the outcome was justified. This should have been, and still should be, open for a round table discussion. There needs to be a chance for everyone to put their goals and priorities on the table and then discuss options for addressing those goals and priorities. An inclusive discussion did not happen and alternatives were not explored. Did the City obtain input from a qualified expert? Was a movable bulkhead considered? I also understand there are bulkheads that stow in a vault on the bottom surface of the pool and can then be easily raised and lowered. These options might be more expensive, but given the nature and uniqueness of the asset (the only indoor, 50 meter pool, in a large geographic area) that expense could easily be justified. As it stands, the decision that has been made basically destroys the asset. In general the time is long past due for the City to acknowledge and give serious consideration to its aquatic assets. The Swim Center itself is very aged and needs updating, and Bozeman on the verge of not having a functioning outdoor pool. Now our prized, rare, indoor, 50 meter pool is effectively being eliminated. Respectfully Paul Grigsby Paul Grigsby Paul Grigsby PLLC Attorney at Law 1700 West Koch, Suite 6 Bozeman, Montana 59715 Tel: (406)587-9440 Fax: (406)219-2476 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message may be protected by the attorney/client privilege, work product doctrine or other confidentiality protection. If you believe that it has been sent to you in error, do not read it. Please reply to the sender that you have received the message in error, and then delete it. On Aug 14, 2017, at 8:19 PM, Gary Tabor <wildcatalyst@gmail.com<mailto:wildcatalyst@gmail.com>> wrote: Dear Carson and Chris...I just want to flag the pool issue for future City Commission consideration. I guess the proponents of the bulkhead knew opposition was rising. Although I may have been the only person to show up tonight, I am not alone on this issue. I found their arguments specious. It obviously confirmed our pool is the only 50 meter pool in the entire state by their own statements. Therefore, but why by their logic do we need to split it? It confirmed that the only stakeholder group consulted with the bulkhead is a small segment of the swimming community and the broader community was not involved. Otherwise we would hear more from other stakeholders. It confirmed narrow problem-solving on this issue. Nothing is preventing the pool from hosting a state championship in 2019...the bulkhead can be placed in the pool when needed and then removed...but that does not justify the split for more than half the year. And as for the economic benefits...there was no data presented. Many know that just for me...millions annually came into the Bozeman non-profit and academic sector from my efforts with Wilburforce and other funders from 1999 to present. Those records can be found on the IRS 990s in Guidestar. I again implore you to create a consultation process to determine the length of the pool split season (if not full removal)...the equitable apportioning of swim lanes...and bringing the swimming community together as the split pool has now split this community. Thanks again, Gary -- Gary M. Tabor MES VMD Executive Director Center for Large Landscape Conservation P.O. Box 1587 Bozeman, Montana 59771 www.largelandscapes.org<http://www.largelandscapes.org/> o: 406.586.8082 c: 406.600.7030 w: gary@largelandscapes.org<mailto:gary@largelandscapes.org> p: wildcatalyst@gmail.com<mailto:wildcatalyst@gmail.com> 2013-2014 Professional Fulbright Scholar on Climate Change and Clean Energy *************************************** Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -- Mary Oliver ***************************************