Please Note Our NEW POLICY as of December 18, 2012 Polite Open Discourse
Stories about the perils and accomplishments of our town residents include those of our government officials. Many of the topics that appear on allaboutarmonk.com are controversial. We allow the public to comment on certain stories, adding to the civil discourse. I have asked that our readers use their real name since it has come to my attention that perhaps one person is writing many different messages, so as to pretend that many of the public is in agreement with that person's opinion.
Below there are several comments that were not published because they were made under fictitious names about the General Highway Foreman story. If the comments have any validity, it appears that people may be hiding behind a name in order to attack public officials. Irrelevant of whether you agree or not, the messages may be relevant, but the delivery can be more transparent.
The public clearly wants to comment about public events but are seemingly fearful of "retribution". I will allow the comments because there seems to be no other way for the public to freely express their opinions since the comments about the town board's policy has generated more frequent and emotional complaints.
Please I ask you to be truthful, post your own thoughts and we welcome multiple comments, but we ask if you make more than one comment please use the same real name or same username.
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The town is not being asked to buy the ALE pool.
The town is being offered the pool as a gift. As with any charitable donation or gift, there are obligations that come along. In this case, there is an obligation to service or refinance or repay the construction loan. This is a very important point that cannot be stressed enough. It also cannot be stressed enough how valuable the pool can be as a community center. The town and its residents benefited from the pool for over forty years due to the generosity of one family, a stroke of good fortune that was a true gift to the community.
A town pool is a common good, like schools and roads, which are used more by some than by others. It's been proved that the pool cannot survive under the current model because membership dues are presently too high to attract enough members from among the natural demographic, among other reasons that can be addressed with town support.
A gift? Hardly. I would love to see it continue. However, this pool was grossly mismanaged over the past 5 years. Who were the rocket scientists who went ahead with renovations before they had raised the funds and leveraged the organization to the max? The Board should be held personally liable for financial mismanagement. Has anyone ever learned the meaning of fiduciary? This will never pass a town wide referendum, as it must do if the taxpayers are to own it. The pool is essentially bankrupt. The taxpayers should not be responsible for making whole those who loaned it money. If they want to give it to the town for free so be it. Regardless, it is an albatross. It just depends upon which neck it will hang. If it cannot survive because membership costs are too high then you are asking the taxpayers to pay for it. It will never pass. The only hope is a private donation. Anyone have an extra $3 million laying around?