Maumelle Mayor Mike Watson said Tuesday that he was surprised the City Council chose to sink an indoor pool proposal that had been part of a bond issue expected to go to city voters in November.
He said he won't be shocked if the issue rises again.
The City Council voted during a lengthy meeting Monday night to remove the planned $7.65 million indoor aquatic center and a companion 0.25 percent city sales tax increase from the proposed bond issue. Both were expected to go before Maumelle voters in the Nov. 4 general election.
Three recommended bond projects remain: replacing the city's Senior Wellness Center for $4.46 million; renovating City Hall for $2.6 million; and adding T-ball and softball fields to the Diamond Center sports complex for $1.05 million.
The council isn't scheduled to set the bond election until next month. Approval by city voters would continue but not increase Maumelle's 6.6-mill property tax. In 2012, voters approved extending the property tax rate for eight years.
Aldermen Rick Anderson and Jan Hogue voted to retain the indoor pool, with the other six aldermen voting to remove that project from the recommended list. Hogue was the only "yes" vote on a pair of related ordinances to push forward the sales tax proposal that was tied to the pool issue as a funding mechanism to help the city operate and maintain the indoor center.
"I thought the consensus among the council members when the indoor pool was added in there was to let the people vote on it, and to let them vote on the sales tax, also," Watson said. "I thought it was going to stay on there and let the people make the decision, but that didn't occur last night.
"It could come back up," Watson said, noting that the ballot won't be finalized for at least two more meetings. "It could be reconsidered. I've received several emails and phone calls this morning regarding the removal of the pool, so I figure the aldermen are receiving those, too."
Aldermen had voted to include the indoor aquatic center among the recommended projects after backers of the pool at the council's June 2 meeting voiced objections to a city survey that showed only about 41 percent of voters supported the indoor pool. The survey also showed only about 32 percent were in support of the sales tax and about 21 percent were in favor of the estimated membership costs to use the indoor pool. The other three projects were supported by slightly more than 50 percent of voters.
Alderman Preston Lewis, who made the motions Monday night to strike the indoor pool and tax proposals from consideration, said Tuesday that he was concerned that the cost of the indoor pool and accompanying sales tax could drag down voter support for the other projects.
"It would put a cloud over those projects that would make them a lot more unpalatable to voters," Lewis said. "They [the other projects] needed to stand on their own.
"This [indoor pool] is a very specific, niche want with a vocal group of supporters," Lewis said. "To throw it out there now and to be willing to ask for a sales tax increase based on niche wants, that's not conservative government in my mind. Maybe somebody comes in next and wants a hockey center. We have a responsibility to vet these things and to decide how to go forward."
Metro on 07/09/2014