Kingsport’s aquatic center in deep water
The Kingsport, Tennessee Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting held on February 3, 2009, was indeed a very lively one with much discussion concerning the aquatic center.
The issue was for approving money so the city could begin to come up with detailed drawings. However, the issue with the location came up with Mallicote again restating his opposition to the aquatic center located at Meadowview. Alderman Marsh and Shull also voiced their concerns with the Meadowview location.
Alderwoman Valarie Joh was not a happy camper in this discussion. She stated that the BMA had already voted on the Meadowview location. That statement is true, but Mallicote, Shull and Marsh did vote against the Meadowview location last summer.
Alderwoman Joh has stated that in past meetings that Marsh and Shull were sore losers because they lost the vote. Well Mrs. Joh, it appears also that the citizens of Kingsport are also sore losers because of the large numbers that are expressing their concerns over the location of the aquatic center.
On August 30, 2008, I wrote the following.
Kingsport, Tennessee has decided to build a new aquatic center at Meadowview and to co-locate with the YMCA.
The very vocal concerns expressed by local citizens over the location of the aquatic have fallen upon deaf ears by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The citizens are calling for a petition to stop the aquatic center and voting the current BMA out of office. Never before have I seen Kingsport citizens more angry.
I have not written a post of this issue before, but privately I felt that the BMA would vote to place the aquatic center in the Meadowview area. It appears that certain members of the BMA have decided to railroad this issue to a vote. The very short two-day notice of a public meeting was a good indication to me that the BMA wanted to push the aquatic center. Giving the public two-day notice of a public meeting to me is not ample notice for an aquatic center that has been in the works a long time.
I would like to add that Alderman Shull, Alderman Marsh, and Vice Mayor Mallicote voted against putting the aquatic center in the Meadowview area.
Also, it appears that the City of Kingsport does not care about other small businesses by competing with them. Giving the YMCA the aquatic center to operate and who is not paying for the center, gives the YMCA an advantage over other firms who provide a similar service.
What are your views on this subject? Leave a comment.
During the vote last summer Larry Munsey started the idea about keeping the Legion Pool open for a a year. In the meeting this week, it was discussed about keeping it open for two years. Keeping the legion pool open for a period of time will not satisfy the citizens concerns because the city plans to shut it down later.
Do we really want the expense of operating two pools? See how these ideas “evolve”. I guess you can do anything if you spend enough money. This points to the greater problem – the BMA refuses to distinguish between NEEDS vs. WANTS and will not prioritize spending.
The City Manager envisions turning the Legion area into something like the Splash Pad at Riverview. In short, we need to see some cost and usage data to really make up my mind.
Kingsport’s history is to get hit later than the rest of the country during a recession, but to also Recover Later.
What are your thoughts on the aquatic center?