The much maligned Mitchell Johnson appears to have been prophetic on the matter of the ballooning cost of the aquatic center, on which his adversary Mike Barber and other departing members of the Greensboro City Council will vote on Dec. 1 as a final parting gesture before the new council is sworn in.
Time was when a city manager was valued for being unafraid to give her honest professional opinion. It will be interesting to see whether the new council politicizes city government as much as the current one has and whether new manager Rashad Young is willing to stand up to his nine bosses when he feels they're making the wrong decision.
I'll let the documents speak for themselves.
Mitchell Johnson memorandum, June 27, 2008:
As city council considers the option of including a pool in the bonds there are a few important issues to consider. The first is that the CIP item at $10,250,000 is not a regional competition venue type facility and would not be appropriate for this type of use. This item is really an enclosed community swim facility similar to our Lindley Park pool but enclosed.
Since the council briefing on the 24th staff has determined that a competition venue appropriate for hosting regional swim events would be significantly more expensive to build; potentially in the range of $18 to $20 million based on the facility recently completed in Cary, NC. I am concerned that placing the proposed pool, as listed in the CIP, in the bond package would create expectations which we would fail to meet with that level of funding. As a result I would recommend not considering this option unless council is very clear that we would not be providing a competitive venue as required to host state or regional level events. I also do not believe that private support could handlee the $8,000,000 to $10,000,000 shortfall.
And now this:
Updated special meeting notice: Members of the Greensboro City Council have set a special council meeting at 4 p.m., Tuesday, December 1, 2009, in the council chambers of the Melvin Municipal Office Building, 300 West Washington Street, Greensbooro, NC for the purpose of conducting a public hearing concerning the financing of certain improvements to the Greensboro War Memorial Coliseum Complex pursuant to an installment purchase agreement; to consider adoption of a resolution approving bid in the amount of $18,323,961; and authorizing Contract No. 2009-080 with Shellco, Inc. for the construction of the Greensboro Aquatic Center and ACC Hall of Champions entrance and to consider adoption of an ordinance amending in the amount of $6,875,000 parks and recreational facilities bond fund -- Aquatic Center (Seeries 2010) Capital Project Budget.
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