There was a time in my life, not so long ago, when I was addicted to golf. I played every chance I got, often 3-4 times a week, which for someone with a full-time job is a lot of hacking and slashing your way around the links.
I had a large group of very good friends who lived in the Seattle area, most of whom are still up there. As often as I could, I would race up I-5 on my days off and play a round with some of them at various courses all over the Puget Sound area. As golfers tend to do, we would usually find a restaurant or bar after the round to relax and enjoy each other’s company, not wanting the day to end.
I will never forget one of these such occasions. After the post-round meal, some of us ordered dessert, which unfortunately wasn’t all that rare of an occurrence in this group. When the server brought us our items for indulgence, she sat them on the table and then cheerfully asked, “Would you like hot fudge with that?’’ My good friend Bill looked at me from across the table with a Cheshire cat-like grin before asking the server, “Does anyone ever say ‘No’ to that question?’’
The voter’s pamphlet for the Aug. 6 primary election arrived in the mail this week from the Clark County Auditor’s Office. Mike Ciraulo is running for re-election to the Battle Ground City Council Position No. 1 and he has three challengers – Richard Brown, Lyle Lamb, and Cherish DesRochers (that’s the order the challengers were listed in the pamphlet, don’t read anything into how I listed the names. This isn’t a column endorsing anyone for the position. The Reflector will report more on the race before the primary).
Each of the four candidates were allowed some brief comments. Ciraulo used part of his limited space to say “I am continuing to work to develop a private public partnership to bring a pool and recreational center to our city ...’’ I feel like that’s the political equivalent to a server in a restaurant asking someone if they want hot fudge with their dessert, or the high school teenager running for Student Body President on a platform promising no more homework.
Who doesn’t want a swimming pool in their community? That’s not the question. The question is, who wants a swimming pool in their community that they have to pay for? The answer to those two questions are dramatically different when the math is revealed.
I don’t want to be misunderstood. If Ciraulo or anyone else can pull this off, God bless them. I think a swimming pool would greatly enhance the Battle Ground community. But, I think the early whispers of this have created an unrealistic optimism.
Ciraulo is currently hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with two of his sons, a great personal endeavor that also is an effort to raise funds and awareness for the North County Community Food Bank. When he gets back, he will be met with some public conversation about the topic of a swimming pool. I visited with Philip Johnson, a Battle Ground council member, who laid out some sobering numbers that supported his belief that when it comes to a community pool, “the math kills everything.’’
The project is estimated to cost about $30 million. Ciraulo’s public-private partnership vision is for the pool to be built on Battle Ground School District (BGSD) land and would also include a partnership with the YMCA. I spoke with Interim Superintendent Duane Rose and Interim Deputy Superintendent Lynn Hicks at the BGSD and they said those organizing the pool effort have only spoken briefly about the project to Mary Beth Lynn, assistant superintendent of finance and operations for the BGSD. Like everyone else, district officials would be interested in the project, but the idea is in its infancy. No site has been targeted and it hasn’t been brought before the Board of Directors.
The public-private partnership vision also includes the belief that about half the money would come from donations. I find that to be an extremely-optimistic goal in these economic times. Johnson’s math on financing a $30 million bond at a 2-percent interest rate reveals that the City of Battle Ground residents would be on the hook for monthly payments of about $70,000 for 20 years to repay the bond. Johnson claims the owner of a $250,000 property would be met with a $175 annual increase in their property tax bill. Keep in mind, those are Johnson’s numbers, and the vision is for the amount of the bond to be much lower (even though, I’m not sure how realistic that vision is).
I’m wondering how willing the citizens of Battle Ground would be to have their tax bill increased to pay for a community pool? Keep in mind that it took two efforts, the second of which was rather Herculean, to get BGSD taxpayers to approve the four-year Maintenance and Operations Levy that raised taxes $4 a month (on a $200,000 property). And that was to pay for schools. What if the question was to pay the same amount or more each year for a swimming pool?
City of La Center officials recently faced the same question and rather quickly came to the conclusion that their own $25 million project was just not realistic.
“It’s just not a good city investment for a facility that five percent of the population utilizes,’’ said Al Luiz, a La Center council member. “The costs were extremely prohibitive.’’
Luiz also said their estimates indicated that it would cost about $250,000 a year in maintenance, staffing and insurance to operate the proposed facility in La Center’s city-owned Holley Park.
In Woodland, long-time resident Benno Dobbe has spent 25 years or more trying to get a community pool built. He and his wife Klazina even donated a portion of the land that will be used for the project if successful. Ask Benno about the challenges he has faced in his effort. I’m sure he has plenty of stories to tell.
The wave of conversation about a community swimming pool in Battle Ground picked up some momentum in recent weeks. I’m happy to dive headfirst into that conversation as well. But, as is usually the case, I caution our loyal readers to wait for more details about the project before they start worrying whether or not they have to forego the hot fudge in an attempt to get in bathing-suit shape just yet.
Ken Vance
Editor
