Reading the media reports, best I can tell, the city is going to have to replace the bubble over the city owned pool. Since the high school swim team uses the pool for training, the city has asked the school board to pony up half the cost of the bubble. If they don't, the bubble won't be replaced and the swim team would have no place to train during the winter months. I'm pretty sure I've got it right.
The school board told the mayor and council if they would give them a three year break from the Rain Tax, they could afford half the cost of the replacement bubble. That offer was rejected by the mayor's office.
It appears, the mayor and council are holding a bunch of high school kids hostage for fifty thousand dollars.
Here's a little history to go with this story. Couple years ago, the city ran short on money to finish the Harrison Road widening project. The school board agreed to kick in $100,000.00 to the project. Not long ago, the school board kicked in $10,000.00 to finish sidewalks around McGhee Boulevard and the middle school. And to beat it all, the school essentially gave the land to the city where the pool sits.
The city Rain Tax alone will be bringing in a half million dollars per year and they can't afford to replace the bubble? It's not the school boards place to prop up the city's finances. The city's got to pay their own bills.
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Save the bubble, Swimmers raising money for new pool roof
LENOIR CITY, Tenn. (WVLT) The high school swim season is months away, but the Lenoir City team is worried their might not be a season for them this school year.
"The last couple of years there's been some hole in it, and they've had to patch it up a few times," swimmer Rachel Scheffer said.
Replacing it will cost the city more than $100,000. City leaders wanted to split the costs with the Board of Education, but board members say it's an expense they can't afford amid budget cuts.
"They're having a tough time too," Team manager Robert Scheffer said. "They are cutting teachers and programs, so there just wasn't money in the budget for that which was disappointing," Team manager Robert Scheffer said.
The team won't let a lack of money swamp their dreams instead, they're determined to buy a new bubble.
"We're going to ask a bunch of different businesses if they can donate, or just anybody if they would like to donate money we would greatly appreciate it," Rachel said. "We're trying to raise a little bit over $50,000, which is a lot for a team our size, but I think we can do it."
Lenior City school board member Matthew Coleman says they are looking at ways to support the team including paying for a different practice facility or possibly matching funds they raise.