Campaign for pool-rebuilding bond measure moves into high gear
Albany Pool closed Thursday due to a pumb problem. The closure is taken as a good opportunity to campaign for a bond measure to rebuild the pool by the Vote Yes for Measure E Committee. Photo by Linjun Fan.
A campaign committee is busy lobbying Albany residents to support a 10-million-dollar bond measure, which will be voted on the Feb. 5 ballot, to rebuild Albany Pool.
The committee, named Vote Yes for Measure E, is led by Charles Blanchard, President of Albany School Board, and Peggy McQuaid, a retired director of the pool who had worked for 25 years at the pool.
“Albany needs a new swimming pool. We hope that you will help to make it possible, ” said Blanchard and McQuaid in a guest commentary published Friday on the Journal, a primary newspaper in the city.
They were joined by Albany resident Ira Sharenow, Beth Wright, former Albany mayor Allan Maris, Dianne McNenny, Susan Adame, and Joanna Pallock to form the compaign committee shortly after the school board decided to put the measure on the February ballot in early November.
The committee is trying to convince voters that it’s a good deal for them to pay $10 million to get two brand new swimming pools and several school facilities for the Albany High School. “Bonds are repaid with your taxes. Measure E will maintain but not increase the school district tax rate, ” says the committee on its campaign website A New Pool recently built by McQuaid.
Although the tax rate wouldn’t be increased by the bond compared to its current level, it would decline much more sharply without the bond, according to a graphic produced by bond consultants.
The committee has sent out more than 100 letters to pool users of Albany, asking for their support and donations. Nearly $600 has been donated by supporters in the past two weeks.
It is also preparing a campaign brochure which will be dropped to every Albany household in about a week.
The committee has got endorsements from prominent community leaders such as City Councilmember Jewel Okawachi, and is trying to woo more potential supporters.
The current pool was temporarily closed Thursday due to a pump problem. A repair company has been called in but it’s not clear now how long the pool will remain closed.
“Pool closures for unexpected maintenance are becoming more frequent, disrupting programs and services,” says McQuaid on the committee website, illustrating a variety of problems with photos of decaying windows, interior water damages, and termite tubes of the aging pool.
“Every time you turn around, something else goes wrong, ” Blanchard said.
[...] Peggy McQuaid, former director of the pool, said she was pleased at the voting result. [...]