NOW is the time to Save Jury Pool
Dear Neighbors,
As you know, the Jury Pool issue has been a hot topic for the past three years. The current proposal is the third plan the Park Department has brought to the City Council. It's not extravagant as the blue team insists. The Jury Pool/Park renovation is a well thought out plan. It has enough features to be attractive to today's families, will be constructed to last, and meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Repairing the existing pool at this point is a poor economic idea. The Park Department has been patching and repairing Jury Pool for years. It's just too old and worn out. If the residents of New Haven want Jury Pool to re-open, this is the best plan - and from everything we've heard, it seems most people want it to re-open.
From the beginning, we've tried to stay positive about this whole remonstrance process. Unfortunately it's brought out the worst in some people. Some members of the blue team have made a habit out of pulling numbers out of the sky and basically spreading misinformation to get residents to sign blue. The stories we've heard recently are unbelievable. The past two Sunday Journal Gazettes have featured disturbing stories about the blue team. Last week it was about our 3rd District Councilman driving his illegal golf cart on city streets and pressuring residents to vote blue. What an embarrassment to our district, to the City Council and our entire community. This week the headline was "Saving Jury Pool issue swimming in confusion". To quote from the Political Notebook by Niki Kelly and Benjamin Lanka ..."Apparently the blue side liked yellow's slogan so much, they've decided to make "Save Jury Pool" their own."
The hard truth is that if the blue signatures win over the yellow, it will kill or delay the pool opening for at least another two or three years. The Park Department wouldn't be able to bring up any revised plans to the City Council for at least a year after the remonstrance is over. Then all this mess would just start over again. For blue to say they want to save Jury Pool is just wrong.
Another falsehood they're throwing out is that renovating Jury Pool will kill the community center. That is a totally separate issue and has nothing to do with Jury Pool. The true fact is if New Haven wants a decent community center, it's going to take corporate sponsorships and grants. If I was a corporate sponsor (and actually we are), I wouldn't even consider investing my money into a community that won't invest in itself. This project is very minimal in cost for the benefits it will bring to our community.
Again, most of you have heard both sides. You'll just have to decide who is telling the truth. All the numbers for the project have been out there since the beginning. If you want to see a breakdown of all the construction costs, Mike at the Park Department would be glad to make you a copy. He also has numbers posted on www.savejurypool.com and the same lists are at www.newhavenbulletin.com.
If you haven't been approached to sign a yellow ballot and you'd like to, please let us know. You can call me at 460-7161 or Jane at 417-5381 to have someone stop by your home, or you can stop into my business - New Haven Print & Copy across from McDonald's in New Haven. We're open from 8 to 5 weekdays.
If you feel you've been misled to sign blue - or changed your mind, we can take care of that. Let us know and we'll have a Notary Public stop by your home to change your vote. You can also attend the meeting on Wednesday night, October 7th at New Haven Elementary School. We'll be meeting in the cafeteria from 6:30 to 7:30.You can sign the yellow ballot or get a blue vote changed that night. The last day to sign yellow is Monday, October 12th.
Thanks for listening.
Craig and Jane Dellinger.
As you know, the Jury Pool issue has been a hot topic for the past three years. The current proposal is the third plan the Park Department has brought to the City Council. It's not extravagant as the blue team insists. The Jury Pool/Park renovation is a well thought out plan. It has enough features to be attractive to today's families, will be constructed to last, and meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Repairing the existing pool at this point is a poor economic idea. The Park Department has been patching and repairing Jury Pool for years. It's just too old and worn out. If the residents of New Haven want Jury Pool to re-open, this is the best plan - and from everything we've heard, it seems most people want it to re-open.
From the beginning, we've tried to stay positive about this whole remonstrance process. Unfortunately it's brought out the worst in some people. Some members of the blue team have made a habit out of pulling numbers out of the sky and basically spreading misinformation to get residents to sign blue. The stories we've heard recently are unbelievable. The past two Sunday Journal Gazettes have featured disturbing stories about the blue team. Last week it was about our 3rd District Councilman driving his illegal golf cart on city streets and pressuring residents to vote blue. What an embarrassment to our district, to the City Council and our entire community. This week the headline was "Saving Jury Pool issue swimming in confusion". To quote from the Political Notebook by Niki Kelly and Benjamin Lanka ..."Apparently the blue side liked yellow's slogan so much, they've decided to make "Save Jury Pool" their own."
The Blue petitions clearly state on the front page:Why would the blue team do things like this unless they're just trying to confuse the issue - or they're just totally desperate. They say they want to reopen Jury Pool, but they also are promising people that if they sign blue, their taxes won't go up. So on one hand, they want to repair Jury Pool for their "plucked out of the sky" $2 million dollar price tag, and on the other hand, they're promising people it won't cost them anything. What world do these people live in? They've taken the $4.1 million dollar project and projected what it would cost with interest over 20 years - somewhere in the $7 million dollar range. If we do the same with their imaginary $2 million dollar project, we're looking at $4 million dollars over 20 years. Both plans would require a bond to complete the project. How can blue state "No New Taxes"?
IN OPPOSITION OF the renovation and additions to Jury Pool.
The Yellow petitions clearly state on the front page:
IN FAVOR OF the renovation and additions to Jury Pool.
The hard truth is that if the blue signatures win over the yellow, it will kill or delay the pool opening for at least another two or three years. The Park Department wouldn't be able to bring up any revised plans to the City Council for at least a year after the remonstrance is over. Then all this mess would just start over again. For blue to say they want to save Jury Pool is just wrong.
Another falsehood they're throwing out is that renovating Jury Pool will kill the community center. That is a totally separate issue and has nothing to do with Jury Pool. The true fact is if New Haven wants a decent community center, it's going to take corporate sponsorships and grants. If I was a corporate sponsor (and actually we are), I wouldn't even consider investing my money into a community that won't invest in itself. This project is very minimal in cost for the benefits it will bring to our community.
Again, most of you have heard both sides. You'll just have to decide who is telling the truth. All the numbers for the project have been out there since the beginning. If you want to see a breakdown of all the construction costs, Mike at the Park Department would be glad to make you a copy. He also has numbers posted on www.savejurypool.com and the same lists are at www.newhavenbulletin.com.
If you haven't been approached to sign a yellow ballot and you'd like to, please let us know. You can call me at 460-7161 or Jane at 417-5381 to have someone stop by your home, or you can stop into my business - New Haven Print & Copy across from McDonald's in New Haven. We're open from 8 to 5 weekdays.
If you feel you've been misled to sign blue - or changed your mind, we can take care of that. Let us know and we'll have a Notary Public stop by your home to change your vote. You can also attend the meeting on Wednesday night, October 7th at New Haven Elementary School. We'll be meeting in the cafeteria from 6:30 to 7:30.You can sign the yellow ballot or get a blue vote changed that night. The last day to sign yellow is Monday, October 12th.
Thanks for listening.
Craig and Jane Dellinger.
Last night the New Haven City Council voted 6-1 to proceed with the Jury Pool project. This was based on the results (though yet unofficial) of the remonstrance process. It should have been over.
At the end of the meeting Councilwoman Hill and myself were challenged for our stands on the project by members of the Blue Team. I chose not to respond at the time as we did not need another shouting match at Council over this issue. Having slept on it, I have decided to use this forum to respond.
I was challenged over my previous statement I read at Council and as was published. Why? Apparently, because - 1. I stated I intended to offend some people.
2. I apparently singled out the Blue Team's tactics when the Yellow Team was guilty of underhanded tactics
3. The Blue Team was sincere in stating they wanted to save Jury Pool.
Let me address these issues for the last time!
1. I intended to offend anyone on either side of the issue who used less than honest tactics to push their side of the issue.
2. I clearly stated that I did not appreciate the conduct of the remonstrance process and included anyone on either side of the issue.
3. If I misunderstood the intent of the Blue Team's change to "Save Jury Pool" I was not alone. I actually believed that the Blue Team had a good chance at winning and probably would have had it not been for this tactic. Simply, there was no alternative plan on the petition drive. You were either for project as proposed or you were not. I suppose that since I favored either the full Jury Pool project or the permanent closure of the pool, I would not have been welcome on the Blue Team if I decided to oppose the bond.
If anyone on the Yellow team is guilty of dishonest or heavy handed tactics, they should be ashamed. As to the Yellow Team gathering petitions at the football game, I don't know if that was ethical or not (each person can make their own judgment on that). What I do know is that I have heard from several very credible sources that blue signs were placed near the curb or on the edge of people's lawns without permission. (Including one of my neighbors who I thought was against the pool because of the sign by the curb at the edge of his property)
I also suggested last night that those who felt they were not given a proper chance to raise funds for the project start now to organize fund raisers for the other pools or park projects so we don't have to go through all of this again. Not one of them endorsed my suggestion.
This is my final term on the council. I won't be here when Meadowbrook or New Haven Pool need replaced or major overhauls. I only pray that it will be handled better by BOTH sides of the issue.
Harold E. West
New Haven City Council
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Once again Councilmen West, you have called it like it is and I certainly appreciate your candor. I am tired of sugar coating this issue. Let's look at the undeniable facts.
The Blue side tried every underhanded, fraudulent, and deceiptful tactic to get their way. In my opinion, 10 to 15 percent of the signatures were acquired under false pretense anyway. I think several people signed not knowing the facts! The petition were nearly as close as the numbers say.
The Yellow side went through every proper channel to try and represent their side and their point of view. They asked for permission at every venue, they told the truth and they played fair. Anyone to say otherwise has sour grapes and is acting childish because they did not get their way. Well I say take your ball and go home and pout until you can act like an adult!!
There is a very small minority of bitter, selfish individuals that have stone walled this project and will continue to do so from now until eternity. If it does not directly benefit them they will never be for any project and will not be happy until they have turned New Haven into gated retirement community or a ghost town.
The saddest thing behind all of this is how ridiculously stupid we have made ourselves look to people outside our community. We are a joke, laughing stock.. Extravagant spending ! What is this the 1930's? Well, I hope we can afford to put some gas into the horseless carriage take a ride to the big city!!!
This has way more to do a swimming pool.
Either evolve or face extinction!
Shawn M. Shearer
FROM New Haven...
FOR New Haven
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Shawn,
Please check the other blogs before posting. We had calmed all the rhetoric down regarding the remonstrance, and I was trying to bring the city together again by making some suggestions on beautifying the city. Please check the other posts, and maybe you will come on board as well.
I do have to address your charges, however. The blue was not underhanded, fraudulent, etc. As for the double signatures, we were required to sign each and every packet we carried so that if there were any problems the person checking signatures could find us easily. That would account for many, many of the double signatures. I remember that without doing that your side had a few double signatures of its own. This tells me that some people just didn't understand the process and mistakenly thought that you were allowed to sign more than once. What good would it do to have someone sign more than once? We all knew that the signatures would just get thrown out. Why go to all the work of standing there and having them sign? It would be wiser to just move on to the next, as I did when someone said they signed the yellow. By the way, it was the practice of most of our team to kindly thank someone if they signed the yellow and move on. I would say, "Would you like to hear why I signed blue?" If they said no I said thank you and walked away.
No one is bitter or selfish in this issue. We were just exercising our legal rights. Can you deny those to us? I do believe they were handed down by the State of Indiana, and we are perfectly within our rights to do a remonstrance if we feel that something isn't justified. Just because someone doesn't agree with you, it doesn't mean they hate you.
I don't believe New Haven would become a ghost town with or without the big project. We all wanted a pool. It just came down to size. It amazed me that when the scale-back was done on the plans, they scaled back the pool but not the bath house and offices. Where does the public benefit more? They will never see the offices. They will, however, see the pool if they can afford the entrance fee. Laugh if you want, but there are people, many of them, without jobs and struggling to put food on the table. Obviously, you are lucky enough to NOT be one of them. I knocked on three doors in a row where every member of the family was laid off and had been for a long time. Another house, both members were being laid off on the same day from two different companies! We have 10% unemployment. What do you say to the one out of ten in your city who doesn't have a job?
New Haven lived and grew when it had two pools, and it lived and grew with three. We all love our city. I've lived here nearly all my life (that's 46 years, by the way because I'm one of the old dinosaurs that has NO vision). We all want what is best for our city. Some of us just see that this could have been done before the pool got into the condition it is if someone had had vision.
Moderator's Note: This is the last comment I'll publish on the yellow/blue remonstrance battle. It's time to move on. I want this to be an open and informative blog, but I think it's pretty much been beat to death, and nobody's going to change anyone's mind at this time. Thoughts about features in the Jury Pool project, ideas on the community center project, city entrance beautification ideas, political opinions ... anything dealing with New Haven would be great. The plan for this blog was to have discussions on everything going on in New Haven. Please contribute.
Thanks,
Craig
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Harold,
Nice comments. I believe you are speaking from the heart.
I would like to comment about your statement of fund raising. Last night was the first time in the last several years that I ever remember you ever agreeing with fund raising. I find it shameful that you say "Not one of they endorsed my suggestion". We have been making this suggetion for over two years. We feel like it fell on deaf ears.
There was so much excitement in the fund raising meetings that only a few council people attended. We still do not know what happened. After the City Council meeting where Mike stated fund raising efforts should be saved for the community center the meetings were just dropped.
I find it very strange that now after two years you bring up this suggestion as if we were even given a choice. I think you need to address the Park Board and Mayor as to why these meeting were scrapped. Are we willing to fund raise to save what we have in New Haven, well that was made very clear two years ago by the people and our leaders felt differnetly.
I would really like to see this fund raising commitee come back together. What a great way for the people to really feel good about something good they have done for New Haven.
Sincerely,
Mike Mowery
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Letter to the Mayor.
Hi Terry,
Wow the people got to voice their opinion about Jury pool and it was much closer than I ever expected. As the Mayor I really feel you need to work with the Park Board
to get sidewalks installed leading into Jury. After speaking with Mike about it yesterday he said he would speak with you and council about it at last nights meeting.
Mike tells me they really feel the building cost will come in under the $3.5 million. Not sure if the bond bank or whatever is used will allow this or not but here is my thoughts.
Say the building cost come in at $3.0 - $3.2 million. Can we please go ahead and bond out all of the approved bond and use the remaining money for the sidewalks? The
Park Board has repeatedly said they expect the attendance to more than double. We have all seen the kids wearing flip flops with towels around their necks running across
the highway and down the middle of the street to get to the park. As you and I both know with increased traffic comes more chances of a terrible accident. The use of cell
phones, texting, eating while driving and other distractions are a recipe for disaster.
I know money is very tight but if the building cost come in low can the extra money be used for sidewalks? Maybe this would be something the community would get behind to raise
money or maybe there is some grant or foundation money that could be applied for?
Terry you have been a great leader over the last ten years or so. Now I am asking you no really begging you to please install sidewalks as park of the pool project. I do not
want to ever see on the news, hear on the radio, or someone telling me New Haven lost a child walking to the park when it could have easily been prevented with something
as simple as a sidewalk.
Please Terry, lets do what we all know is the right thing. Lets prevent something from happening that we all will be proud of.
PS: Please note I would be more than happy to have my taxes raised over the next 20 years knowing the sidewalks I helped pay for could have just saved a child's life.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Mowery
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If anyone knows who is putting up on the telephone poles the nasty looking 9/11 and Obama pictures please let me know and I will get their name to the city. They look ugly and nasty. If you see one please stop and take it down. I really don't think we need people coming into our city and seeing things like that.
Thank you
Ron Steinman
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