Why would Greensboro’s City Council put forth a swim center ballot measure with a proposed cost lower than it could be built for? (First posted on June 22, 2009)

…city staff members have arranged a no-bid contract for design of the [competitive swim facility], …all before the City Council could appoint residents to a committee created to help review the project.

 

 The city will sell bond anticipation notes …because city officials had not planned to sell the bonds for the project in the next fiscal year for $1.5 million to pay for startup costs.

 

One unknown is how the city will pay for what could be a $17.5 million center with $12 million in bond money.

 

Aquatics center speeding along

Amanda Lehmert

Greensboro News and Record

 

Did the 2008 Parks and Recreational Facilities Bond not mention the bond’s biggest item on the ballot: a $12,000,000 allocation for a “competitive swim facility” rejected in 2000 and 2006?

 

Was the center inserted on the ballot without public input?

 

Is the facility projected to generate enough to pay for ongoing maintenance costs and debt payments?