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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA016 - Email from Holly Fuchs dated May 22, 2007 - concerns From:holly.fuchs@gmail.com To: bobanncamp@aol.com, ldollr@gmail.com, rmahayni@isunet.net, matthewgoodman@mchsi.com, jim@jimpopken.org, email@jamilarson.org, magelu82@iastate.edu, drice827@msn.com, cc. sschainker@city.ames.ia.us, ncarroll@city.ames.ia.us To: Ames Mayor Ann Campbell Ames City Council Members Ryan Doll, Matthew Goodman, Jami Larson, Maggie Luttrell, ex. off., Riad Mahayni, Jim Popken, Dan Rice Cc. Ames City Manager Steve Schainker Ames Parks & Recreation Director Nancy Carroll From: OJv Holly Fuchs, 806 Brookridge Ave. , Ames, IA 50010-5835 J 515/233-2140 home, 515/231-8996 cell, holly.fuchs@gmail.com Re: Outdoor Aquatic Center, Item 16a-e in Council Action Form May 22, 2007 Date: May 22, 2007 Dear Ames Mayor and City Council Members: The Ames Parks and Recreation Commission has done its job and recommended a change in recreational opportunities in Ames. I compliment them on finding out about the opportunity to lease the area north of 13th Street from ISU. Now it is your turn as City Council members to do your job and evaluate this recommendation from a broader perspective. I hope you support "Alternative 3: Delay any further action on this issue by referring the project back to the Parks and Recreation Commission for further review." Why? There are questions I would like answered before voting on an Outdoor Aquatic Center at 13th Street site. 1. What are the data which support the "well documented" need for an "outdoor community aquatics center" (Ames City Council Action Form May 22, 2007, Item 16a-c) particularly at the 13th Street site? A. Does it include more than the information obtained by the "pool parties "? I hope so for those attending were self-selected for their interest in an outdoor aquatic center and thus are not a random sample of Ames voters. Further, the voting was done in public by raising hands or standing, a process where it is not so easy to disagree with one's neighbors. "Straw polls" on site preference were taken after hearing presentations which favored the 13th Street site. For example, bias in favor of the 13th Street site is shown by: 1) More time spent on the 13th Street site than on the Middle School site. 2) Up-to-date maps used for the 13th Street site compared to 2003 maps for the Middle School site. 3) A bike path extension planned at the 13th Street site but not for the Middle School site though possibilities for extensions also exist there. 4) Amenities mentioned at the 13th Street site that will not be funded by the bond issue, such as athletic fields, which distort the comparison. one hundred thirty-three (133) of the 225 attendees (59%) preferred the 13th Street site. If the two sites had been described in equal detail would the results have been the same? to- If it doesn't include other data, one could argue with even more logic that based on a door-to-door survey of Ames residents which shows 177 of 225 (75%) residents favor the Middle School site (Luke Jennett, "Residents say Middle School pool site is favored", Tribune, May 20, 2007. ) that the bond issue should specify the Middle School site. This is particularly true when the genuine enthusiasm with which 90% of the respondents in neighborhoods near the Middle School site regard the possibility of an Outdoor Aquatic Center there. B. Can we find a better way to reach concensus? The public meetings were held "to discuss. . . share thoughts and opinions. . . ask questions.. . learn more about the potential plans" (postcard mailed to residents about the "pool parties") and "to determine the amount of support from the public" (Luke Jennett, "Residents say Middle School pool site is favored", Tribune, May 20, 2007) . Despite the description of a "consensus building process" to be used at the "pool parties", the lack of time made it impossible to discuss alternatives or to consider ones other than those already prepared. As is all too common in gathering public input, the questions were preframed to limited choices. We need a better way to develop concensus, and I think that means taking time to do so. 2. How much support is there for alternatives such as outdoor neighborhood pools or an indoor recreational pool? 3. Why build a pool at the 13th Street site rather than the Middle School site when to do so will lose an undeveloped green space, cost more (using "pool party" data) , make the center subject to damage from flooding even if not often, puts the swimmers at more risk from mosquitos -- a danger of one sort if not sprayed and a danger of another sort if sprayed -- and concentrates all Ames swimming facilities near the High School giving residents east of ISU two public pools close to them to use after Carr Pool is closed and residents west of ISU no public pools close to them to use? This space presently gives a tranquility to life and opportunity to observe wildlife like deer and turkey vultures rarely found in town and should be treasured. Jim Pease of ISU wrote ". . .we do not relish the loss of open green space this area represents. . ." (April 25, 2007 letter to Ames Park and Recreation Commission included with Council Action Form, May 8, 2007, Item 26a-c, Attachment B) . 4. Is building a pool at the 13th Street site fair to all residents of Ames in terms of cost, sustainability and access to swimming facilities? 5. Can one lease the 13th Street site, extend the Brookside Park bike path, enhance storm water treatment, and make lands available for sublease to the Ames School District for athletic fields without building a pool at the 13th Street site? I thougbeOlthe Brookside Park bike path could be extended under 13th Street to connect with the Ames High School bike path without needing to build an Outdoor Aquatic Center at the 13th Street site. This is recommended by ISU if Ames were to lease the 13th Street site (Jim Pease, April 25, 2007 letter to Ames Park and Recreation Commission included with Council Action Form, May 8, 2007, Item 26a-c, Attachment B) . It would also reduce somewhat the extent of the flooding of the Disc and veenker golf courses and University Village's play/garden area. I would hope the cost of this would be less than the $300,000 estimated for widening 13th Street. I wonder if someone at ISU might be interested in installing a riparian zone, grasses and wetlands at the 13th Street site as a project similar to the installation of the savanna between Elwood and Squaw Creek. If an aquatic center is not built on the 13th Street site there would only be the need to improve the storm water runoff from the high school and surrounding neighborhoods. This could save up to $150,000. I wonder if Ames is currently responsible for storm water management at the 13th Street site. I assume Ames will be responsible if the lands are leased. In either case I wonder whether there are ways to fund enhanced storm water management separate from the outdoor aquatic center issue. 6. How important is the convenience of 4,000 registered voters who live closer to the 13th Street site than to the Middle School site compared to the disadvantages of the 13th Street site listed above which affect all 45,000 registered voters in Ames? 7. What is the cost of the parking lot proposed for the 13th Street site and where is it included in the 13th Street site costs -- in the $300,000 "13th Street Turning Lane" or the $600,000 "Engineered Fill" cost? 8. What are the "City's Cost Obligations" at the Middle School site? I've learned since the "pool parties" that the "City's Cost Obligations" at the Middle School site may be much more than $500,000, depending on the interpretation of the contract. I would not want the city to spend more to share infrastructure built by the School District at the Middle School site than it costs the city to build for city use alone at the 13th Street site. 9. How important is it to keep the size of the bond issue down? i I know the Ames Parks and Recreation Commission told the Ames City Council that the difference of half a million dollars or so in the size of a bond issue is not important to its passing so long as the total was below the $9 million mark. However I know people in Ames who find it hard to pay their health insurance premiums let alone an increase in their property taxes. So I am concerned that you use Ames funds wisely. 10. How many children of biking-alone age live closer to the 13th Street site than to the Middle School site? 11. Can Cy-Ride schedules be changed in summer to make it more convenient to reach the Middle School site? 12. Are there plans to improve bicycle path connections in Ames so one can reach the Middle School site easily from all directions by bicycle? 13. Can these plans be implemented sooner if the Outdoor Aquatic Center were located at the Middle School? 14. Is it neccesary or only desirable for the Ames School District to have a parking lot for autos next to the athletic fields at the 13th Street site? 15. If parking is the reason for preferring the 13th Street site, why not be transparent about it? Call the bond issue what it is and don't support building a pool at that site in order to get parking. Ask the community to vote if they want to spend -- how much money is it? I wasn't clear from the cost figures. . .is it part of the $600,000 Engineered Fill cost? -- I'll say $487,500 ($1,500 per parking stall, 325 parking places) plus $300,000 for 13th Street widening -- at least $787,500 for a parking lot at the 13th Street site. 16. Why has the Middle School site not been given the same attention as the 13th Street site? There are bike paths to be extended there too. It saves money by sharing facilities with the school district so no additional parking lots or sewer connections need be built at the 13th Street site. There is no need for enhanced storm water management. It funnels money to the school district because the city would reimburse the school district for part of the money it spent installing infrastructure for the Middle School. This money would be used for physical plant and equipment, certainly at the Middle School, perhaps elsewhere. There is the possibility of "educational fun factors" at the Middle School (Erica Fuchs, "Put pool near middle school", Tribune, May 15, 2007) . 17. Why do members of the School District think there are no "direct benefits" to having an Outdoor Aquatic Center at the Middle School (Gail Johnston, Minutes of Ames City Council Meeting, May 8, 2007, Tribune, pp. C6- C7)? Isn't receiving at least $500,000, maybe as much as $1,800,000 from the city for shared infrastructure, a direct benefit? I communicated with two of the 5 school board members who preferred the 13th Street site. One of them didn't know about the $500,000. The other thought it would simply reduce the school district's utility costs. The School District's Chief Financial Officer tells me any money received would go for physical plant and equipment. I just don't understand the support for the 13th Street site so I then begin to look for other reasons. 18. Is a location at the Ames High School preferred because there is hope to build homes east of I-35? That would explain support for the 13th Street site. 19. Is the 13th Street site preferred by the Ames School Board because they want to build a new elementary school there even though the Ames School District also own the 10 acre Dauntless site on Miller about a mile west of the Middle School? This makes me think of long range plans. 20. What are the long range plans for bond issues in Ames? I think they include: July 2007 -- the city will raise about $12 million in 12 years with an $8.5 million bond issue ($21.91 per $100,000 property value residential, $48.09 per $100,000 commercial/industrial) for an Outdoor Aquatic Center? Sept. 2007 -- the school district will ask the voters to extend the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) to raise about $9 million in 10 years ($134 per $100,000 property value)? I know the City and the School District plan to spend $400,000 each ($800,000) on the Municipal Pool so it will last until 2016. A. Will there be a bond issue to rebuild the Municipal Pool in 2016? B. Will the pool be extended to 50 meters? C. How much will such a new pool cost? In 2006 the estimated cost to replace the Municipal pool was $15 -$16 million dollars. D. Is there a possibility the Municipal Pool might be built somewhere other than the High School? E. Is the school district planning to build a new elementary school? It was mentioned in a letter to the editor of the Tribune on May 20, 2007 that there is talk of building a new elementary school at the Middle School site. If true, I wonder what the School District would use the Dauntless 10 acres they own on Miller. F. If so, when and for how much would that bond issue be? 21. Do we need a July vote if the Outdoor Aquatic Center were built at the Middle School? I don't think so because a November vote will be time enough to begin building in 2009 since you shouldn't need an additional summer for fill to settle as you do with the 13th Street site. 22. If you decide to ask voters to approve a bond issue for an Outdoor Aquatic Center, can a survey provide answers so that if a vote were taken on a bond issue in accordance with the survey's results it has a high probability of passing with 60% of the vote? A. If so, can such a survey be completed quickly enough at a small enough cost to justify delaying a decision to spend or not to spend $41,500 ($4,500 on an "educational" brochure, $22,000 on a July vote, and $15,000 for borings)? B. If such a survey shows an Outdoor Aquatic Center at the Middle School site is supported by at least 60% of potential voters, does this not mean you are only out the cost of the survey but save the $41,500? C. If such a survey shows an Outdoor Aquatic Center at the 13th Street site is supported by 60% of the voters, then are you not only out the cost of the survey and can proceed with confidence you are not wasting the $41,500? 24. How important are neighbors' objections to building a pool at the 13th Street site? The neighbors at Carr Pool chose to live near that pool. The neighbors near the 13th Street site did not so choose. 25. Do you realize that you have been given information that is incomplete? For example, your Council Action Form of May 8, 2007 Item 26a-c says "Mr.Land reported that the rise of water would be miniscule. He explained that the amount of rise would be insignificant and compared this depth level to the "thickness of a couple of sheets of paper."" In fact, as reported by the Tribune and confirmed by me with a call to Mark Land, an engineer with Snyder and Associates, who helped update the City's floodplain regulations in the 1990s, he said building the proposed Outdoor Aquatic Center at the 13th Street site would raise the water level north of 13th Street 3/100ths of a foot the equivalent of the thickness of "several sheets" of paper. When I spoke with him he said the 3/100ths of a foot is 1/3 of an inch and he probably did not choose the best analogy when he said it was like the thickness of "several sheets of paper". I agree, for 1/3 of an inch is the thickness of 85 pages of ordinary copy paper or 200 pages of the Ames phone book. At the May 8,2007 Ames City Council meeting, Mike Bell of RDG said he could not say the proposed Outdoor Aquatic Center would never flood. That is perhaps a different way of saying the same thing as the Ames Parks and Recreation Commission did in your Council Action Form of May 8, 2007, Items 26a-c page 5 -- they are ". . .confident that the pool facility will be three feet above even a hundred year flood, . . ." -- but it is clearer. Mike Bell did not answer the question put to him by an Ames Councilman May 8, 2007 as to the possible dollar amount of damages if the facility were flooded. He said costs would be minimized because many parts are above ground, safe guards would be taken in the construction to ensure damage would be minimized, and little carpeting is involved. I read on the web that there was a 7 million dollar reupholstery bill for Hilton Coliseum after the floods in the 1990s. 26. Where will the money to demolish Carr Pool come from if the 13th Street site is chosen? The closing of Carr Pool is not mentioned in the proposed wording of the bond issue in your May 22, 2007 Council Action Form, Items 16a-swow 27. Though I understand the desire to save $500,000 in construction costs by surveying and taking soil borings before a July vote, is not democracy more important? The city went to a lot of trouble to encourage students to register to vote in Ames. To have an election when more than half of the students are out of town -- more than a third of Ames' registered voters -- feels like disenfranchisement to me.