Letter to the Editor: Put focus on fixing streets, not building a water park

Dear Editor,

We are starting a new year and our council will be working on the new water park. I would like to remind council that back in November 2012, the voters voted for a ½-cent sales tax to help pay for our deteriorating streets, a new swimming pool and to upgrade the golf course.

The golf course has already spent their share of the tax money plus. Now, council wants to build a water park. One of the reasons they said we need a new pool was the current pool was too small and it leaked. And, we needed a bigger pool so they could have better swim meets and diving competition meets. Looking at the layout in the October paper, it shows we would be getting a smaller pool without a diving area. So how can you have a good swim meet without a diving area?

I would like to remind council that the voters only approved $3 million for a new swimming pool – not a water park. The voters approved this and did not approve a blank check to let council do what they want. If you look at cities that have water parks, they have more than twice the population as Sidney to support it. It would be better to take the money for the new pool and repair and reseal (not patching) our existing pool, and we would have a better pool than what is being proposed. Councilman Gay has the right idea to tell the pool company how much money they have to spend and let them work around it.

I would like council to drive around town and see how bad our streets are. Go to the north side, 13th Avenue east of Illinois. I found on the Internet a survey that the city put out about three or four years ago and the thing that people wanted done most was our deteriorating streets fixed, so the problem is still there and they’re getting worse. I would like to remind council that they were elected by the people to work for the people and not for individuals for that is what it looks like, and it shows.

It would be nice to have other people express their views on this subject and let council know how they feel.

Jack Schilling

Sidney