Weighing In, on Swimming In

They are trying to get a Rec Center
of sorts down at the end of my road.
I have no problem with the idea.
What I have a problem with is,
how they are going to do it.

A few months ago, a young
man came to our house. A
friend sent him down to see
if we would sign a petition to
have a program voted on by
the public. The King sign it.

I asked a few questions, but
the young man really didn't
have much more than the
paper work showing a picture
of what it was going to be
and about what they thought it
would cost. That they had funding.

That the petition was so the
voters could decide if they wanted
it or not. That part I agreed with,
so I sign also. Figuring it should
be the voters who decide.

But since that day, I have read
just about all I can about this
wonderful plan for the kids. And
to be honest, the more I read the
more confused I am.

I think we all want a wonderful
thing for the kids, and even adults.
What one of us, doesn't remember
town YMCA/YWCA's that did so
much good around the nation. But
this is not that kind of deal.

What I understand of it, is they
want us voters/taxpayers to pay
for all of this. The amount that was
on the paper is just the very start
of the project. With more expense
coming. What I understood was
this was for the kids, and at no
expense to the kids. It would
be for the Lake Pend Oreille
school district area kids.

Well, the first thing I thought
about was, why would Clark
Fork and Hope want this?
They aren't going to come
to town to take the kids to
this. And they are in the
LPO school district. In fact
we are talking, Southside,
Sagle, Dover, to Elmira, and
the fore mention Clark Fork
areas.This is a lot of money for
how many people? I really don't
see the out laying areas using it.

Also the things I read recently,
they want this for a business, not
a YMCA type of deal. That is where
I got to say WHOA!! WHOA, BIG
TIME!!. I do not see this as a tax
payers project for a person's business.

We already have a very fine business
in town called Sandpoint West
Athletic Club. There is a man who owns
it that I think has done a fantastic job
for the kids. He has a very great project
he has ran for over 5 years for the kids
in the summer. He has a summer day
camp that he gets business men involved
among many, and it is the greatest project.
The kids get exercise by hiking. There is
many places they get to go.Many things
the kids get to do and learn. He has had
the most wonderful staff that has worked
with these children. Granted it is for the
10 to 12 kids.But he has accepted older
kids when there are vacancies. The ones
who are too old for day care. No one is
asking tax payers for his project. And
it is a proven one.

In this day and age, with all the things,
we voters have been asked to finance,
this project is low on the totem pole.

I had to vote against Northside Fire
District a year or more ago. I sure
hated to, as those men and women
deserved it. If their projected project
wasn't so high, we would have voted
for it.

Just around the corner is going to
be school building levies. It has to
come. We have over 230 homes
coming into the town of Kootenai
in the next 2 or 3 years. Sandpoint
has 500 in just one area, and then
add all the others.. Our schools
are not built for all these kids.
We are going to need more
class space. Tax payers are
going to be asked to ante up.
Here in Kootenai, we already
are using 3 module trailers.

As much as we would like a lot of
things, we need to pay for what we
need first, and want later.
Mr. Business man, you have a nice
idea..and I wish you well. But not with
my tax dollars.

Sorry, but my vote on Feb.7 is a
resounding NO!!!