Dear Middletown Mike,
I am writing to you to regarding the Middletown Swim Club. As we all know the township has stated that they do not want to operate the swim club this year. We ( club members) went to the town meeting on Jan 17th to let the township know we were are not happy with their decision.
During the meeting many numbers were thrown about regarding ADA regulations that need to be put into place and also capital improvements that needed to be made. These numbers ranged up to a million dollars with no specifics to clarify to the members . We have done some investigating with the town and discovered a few things that we think people should know.
The swim club has never been a burden to taxpayers . The swim club is set up as a utility and as such must be self sustaining. Only membership money has been used to run the club.
It has been rumored that they may only open 1 pool this year. The cost to open one pool and 4 pools is the same. Also – if the pumps are not run in the other pools they will become damaged and that will cost money to repair.
Most importantly:
The taxpayers of Middletown will have to take on the burden of the bonds that are owed on the swim club. This amount is $225,000.00 if the club is not opened this year. The membership dues are what cover this cost. These bonds will continue for the next 10 years for a total cost to the taxpayer of $1,300,000.
A member committee has been established and will be presenting its plan to the Township for the continued operation of the swim club very soon.
We who belong love our club. We would like all to join and see what we see. No one should have to go to another town and use their pool when we have a perfectly good one in our own town. Support Middletown, keep the money here. Please join the fight to save the pool club.
Regards,
Save Our Swim Club Committee
Kerri Brennan
Middletown
19 comments:
Dear Kerri Brennan,
Getting specifics from our 'Keep Them in the Dark' Township Committee can be very difficult -- they specialize in filtering out sunshine.
Whether-or-not the Swim Club utility is a burden on taxpayers is a matter of opinion based upon how you critically look at the 'facts'. Every taxpayer has paid (past) for the $1,300,000 bond and will continue to pay (present and future) for it. I don't believe that there is enough space for every taxpayer to be a member and use the facility for just a few months of the year. So, those who do not use the Swim Club may legitimately look at paying for the bond as a "burden", or maybe just an annoyance -- depends on point of view.
Membership dues does not cover the cost of the bonds. Dues covers the annual operating costs, not debt service.
I'm not a plumber so I don't understand how not running the pumps would damage them. Although, I think this is doubtful because the pumps aren't run for most of the year -- fall, winter and spring.
"Only membeship money has been used to run the club." This is not accurate. Township employees have, in the past, been used to prepare the club prior to its seasonal opening. Property taxes pay these salaries, so taxpayer money has been used to operate the club. Additionally, these employees were not available to other township related work for the majority of taxpayers in Middletown when they were preparing the club for its annual opening.
I think the swim club never should have been purchased by the township -- my reasons have already been implied in this commentary.
I think the property should be sold and they money used to pay-off or pay down the bond debt on it. If not sold, the community should try to get an entity like the YMCA to run it -- an idea that S. Byrnes and P. Short presented when they sat on the Township Committee. They saw this coming years ago.
Unfortunately they are no longer on the Township Committee and can't bring their GENUINE "taxpayer first" (a phrase the local Republican Party dusts-off every year to use in their poltical campaigns) perspective to help resolve how to best handle the burden that the non-essetial Swim Club places on the taxpayer.
Regards,
Middletown Taxpayer
Close it. Get it off the books. If people still want to go to a swim club they can go to Hazlet's at a fraction of the cost.
"It has been rumored that they may only open 1 pool this year. The cost to open one pool and 4 pools is the same. Also – if the pumps are not run in the other pools they will become damaged and that will cost money to repair."
Sorry Kerri, you're wrong about this - the water bill for one pool is less than it would be for four. Not to mention the electric used to run the extra pumps. And c'mon - those pumps sit dormant for 3/4 of the year - that's not gonna harm them. Whoever told you that is grasping at straws.
I'm a Middletown homeowner and I don't want one cent of my already high taxes to go the swim club. I think the Township's idea to close it down is a good one. It makes financial sense.
We've all heard the story that the Township bought the swim club in 1997 to keep a Home Depot from going in. I wish this had been put up for a vote - I would've preferred having a Home Depot close to home, then I wouldn't have to drive miles out of my way to go to the one in WLB or Keyport. To be honest, I'd LOVE to see the swim club torn down and have Wegman's put up a store there. Middletown could definitely use a great store like that - the others are too far away.
I feel badly for the families who'll lose this recreational facility, but in this economy, hard decisions sometimes have to be made. I think Spock said it best: Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Why does anyone think it's ok Middletown to default on it's bond obligations??
As stated by previous commentary. The cost of opening 1 pool is not the same as opening 4 pools. The cost of chemicals for those pools is astronomical and the fact that cyanuric acid (chlorine stabilizer) is not allowed to be used in commercial pools, increases the amount of chlorine that is burned through by use as well as sun. Please note, that balancing chemcials are also needed on a regular basis (PH and Alkalinity) because of the heavy use and large volume of water within those pools. Also, since it is a commercial pool, township must have a CPO (Certified Pool Operator) look after the pools on a daily basis; thus, adding more cost. Not running the pumps will not cause any physical harm to the motors which run the pumps; however, gaskets and seals on the pump and motor will more than likely dry rot, but replacing those parts is very minimal. With that being said, that should not even be a point of argument because, like stated in a previous comment, it is a long shot.
Middletown tax payers,
I suggest that you put in a request for the financials from the township for the pool club then you will see that ALL monies paid out to run and operate the swim club comes DIRECTLY from the revenue the swim club produces. Any year where there was a shortfall, surplus money that the swim club aquired in years past is what has been used to cover the short fall.
You are WRONG in stating that the bond debt is coming out of the tax payers money, IF you were to inquire about the expense reports you would see that the debt service is covered 100% by the revenue the swim club brings in.
"Membership dues does not cover the cost of the bonds. Dues covers the annual operating costs, not debt service." This statement is INCORRECT. I beleive everyone that thinks money to sustain the pool club is coming from tax payers SHOULD request the financials, examine them and THEN you can speak.
As for "Township employees have, in the past, been used to prepare the club prior to its seasonal opening. Property taxes pay these salaries, so taxpayer money has been used to operate the club. Additionally, these employees were not available to other township related work for the majority of taxpayers in Middletown when they were preparing the club for its annual opening." This also is INCORRECT. Again, look at the financials before you speak. Yes, township workers were used, HOWEVER, the swim club PAID the township for the use of the workers....the swim club HIRED them. AGAIN, I can't say it enough...anyone questioning should be looking at the financials BEFORE speaking. Hear say is not correct...read the reports THEN come back and defend your stand.
Am wondering if any you actually have the figures OR are you going on assumptions and hear say? GET THE FACTS DIRECTLY FROM THE TOWNSHIP VIA REQUESTING ALL FINANCIAL RECORDS....then use those "FACTS" also, are you a CPO(Certified Pool Operator) or have you inquired about pump maintenance from one.....IF SO then you can speak of facts. There is NO burden of having a swim club and if it was managed properly, could bring in a lot of revenue. It amazes me how people are so quick to defend an issue when they do not have the facts.
As for another store....just what we need........to the writer that wrote about a Wegmans........yes we need that because Shoprite is right across the street and every other food store is in Middletown already...
I am wondering how you would all feel once you know the FACTS...
Actually Lincroft Dog Girl, I think we need a Walmart around here, there none within at least a 30-40 minutes drive
Anon 8:57AM -
Have you ever been in a Wegman's? If you have, then you wouldn't compare it to Shoprite. Wegman's has superior food and better choices. Wegman's has a wonderful salad/fruit bar, an American/Chinese buffet, a pizzeria, sub shop, delicious prepared meals and a great dining area overlooking the store, with a microwave and mini kitchen area to prepare your own meals and sit and dine. It's not just a supermarket, it's a dining destination. A far cry from Shoprite's paltry little salad bar. Wegman's has far better meat, produce and dairy departments than any of the supermarkets in the Middletown area. And not to mention great bakery, pharmacy, and health and beauty departments. Also a much larger book and magazine area than all the other supermarkets in the area. For some reason, people who have not experienced shopping in Wegman's believe that the prices are higher there than anywhere else. This is completely false: I'm amazed sometimes at the bargains I get there. So yeah 8:37, Wegman's IS just what we need! Build it and they will come - by the hoards. It would be used by a lot more Middletowners than the swim club is.
Anon 10:22AM - Walmart - YEAH!
Really? You are arguing your point for a food store or any store. The point is either open the club or no.....not a vote on what should go there because we all know that spot would go to a housing development...and of course we need more housing...we can 't even fill what we have, our schools become even more over crowded, our police depart working MORE hours as crime rate goes up....so yeah let's close the pool club and see what would go there...anything that goes there will end up costing the township money...so let's see.......keep a swim club that is TOTALLY self-sustaining OR close it and see where the chips fall....if that happens we will soon be hearing the taxpayers complaining about whatever goes there. The point is the pool club is self-sustaining, has always been self-sustaining and could continue to be self-sustaining. Period. End of story! Get the FACTS
Really? The FACTS is, you compared Shoprite to Wegman's so I pointed out how there is no comparison. Period. End of Story!
Lincroft Dog Girl, Why don't you put your Wegmans and Wall Mart in Lincroft on the Avaya property?
If the pool club is self sustaining the the S.O.S should purchase it themselves and run it at a profit or should be able to convince another party to buy it if it is profitable. Have you ever seen it it is it falling apart the members complain about it every single year that it is falling apart. So please stop asking the taxpayers to foot the bill. Like I said if it is truly profitable then it would not be hard to convince a private party to purchase it seeing that it is profitable.
If the pool club is self sustaining the the S.O.S should purchase it themselves and run it at a profit or should be able to convince another party to buy it if it is profitable. Have you ever seen it it is it falling apart the members complain about it every single year that it is falling apart. So please stop asking the taxpayers to foot the bill. Like I said if it is truly profitable then it would not be hard to convince a private party to purchase it seeing that it is profitable.
Anon 11:35AM -
Anywhere in Middletown is fine with me.
P.S. If you're referring to my name, I no longer live in Lincroft. I grew up there, but now reside in Middletown proper.
Anon 8:37,
The Pool Utility has been supported with tax dollars that have not been collected because a business enterprise, or residents, on that property would be paying property taxes. The pool utility is not paying property taxes that financial fact creates an additional tax burden for Middletown taxpayers and the majority of them do not get to use the Pool Club.
The charge-back on the part of the municipality for work done by public employees is basic management, but these employees were not avaiable to do other work when they were working for the Pool Utility, which impacts productivity. Did the Utility contribute to health care insurance and pension costs for these township employees? Did the utility cover any hourly overtime that occurred because the borrowed public employees had already exceeded straight time allocated as a result of working for the Utility?
The CFO should be able to clarify whether-or-not the debt service is covered by membership dues or property taxes.
If the regular Pool Club wants to buy the property and manage the Pool Club as a private business, which would mean paying off the bond and paying property taxes great. But until then, the membership should not expect resident taxpayers to foot the bill for running the club for a few months of the year. This was a bonded purchase, like the Cultural Arts Center property, that they Township never should have made.
so much for a wegmans or walmart........deed restricted means it MUST be purchased as a recreational facility
So this is simple scare tactics. By explaining that we will be paying off the bond anaway, doesn';t mean we should use tax payers dollars to fund it anymore. You see the township didnt have the money to start with so bonds were brought into the picture. Now that the swim club is continuing to run in the red, the swim club users want the tax payers to continue to fund their leisure activity. If we stop the funding NOW, this mess will eventually come of the townships books. By paying for it only kicks the can down the road. As members of the township, you need to have priorities.Swimming for 2 months out of the year isnt at the top of mine. Stop being selfish.
People who have not experienced shopping in Wegman's believe that the prices are higher there than anywhere else. This is completely false: I'm amazed sometimes at the bargains I get there. So yeah 8:37, Wegman's IS just what we need! Build it and they will come by the hoards.
Post a Comment