Community Commentary 12/17
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A lot of talk has been going on in the past few weeks about the pool. To catch up on the latest news, just click the Press tab on the website. Also, check out the latest Fosters Community Commentary by FUNHOP founders Kenny Rotner and Dudley Dudley.
Editorial by UNH History Professors
A Foster’s Community Commentary from December 9th:
Editorials Online
Since many have found the text in the editorials difficult to read, I have decided to provide their links. These are the same editorials as the previous post, just online.
Agreement between UNH and the Town on the Outdoor Pool
Letters and editorial in Fosters, week of Nov. 20
Town Council Meeting
HELLO POOL LOVERS!
The Town of Durham is at a crucial point in talks with UNH about the fate of the Outdoor Pool. While precise plans are unclear, one thing we know is that if townspeople do not speak out, WE WILL HAVE NO POOL THIS SUMMER.
Information about the pool’s current status, including the DHR documentation and the town’s contract with the university, can now be viewed under the Documents tab on the website.
Please consider attending the Town Council meeting on Monday November 18. According to the posted agenda, there will be two opportunities to speak out about the pool.
If you want to support the pool with comments about something other than the pool’s place in the budget, at around 7:05pm, after the opening of the meeting, you can get on line to speak for no more than the permitted 5 minutes.
Next, if you plan to speak in support of the town participating in funding for the pool, the appropriate place to do that is during the Public Hearing on the budget that will take place later on the agenda (listed under Unfinished Business on Page 2).
WE ARE HOPING FOR A BIG TURNOUT…. SEE YOU THERE; BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS!
IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, CONSIDER WRITING A LETTER OR EMAIL TO ADMINISTRATOR TODD SELIG AND THE TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS.
FUNHOP recommends the following points but feel free to add your own thoughts and opinions about WHY THE OUTDOOR POOL IS SO CRUCIAL TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WHY IT SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED THIS SUMMER.
For example…you could:
Ask that the town offer UNH the opportunity to lease the pool to the town, thereby removing issues of liability from UNH’s plate.
Support the $270,000 that Selig included as part of the proposed 2014 budget to “potentially be utilized as a long-term, annual municipal contribution toward the upgrade and future operation of the pool.” This would result in raising tax rates by .28 cents per thousand.
Stress the importance of having the pool open for summer 2014. It must not close. Point out that the pool is in the same condition it was in last summer when there were no accidents and water testing (done four times a day) showed nothing but pristine conditions. The pool should not be closed before its ultimate fate is decided.
Ask that the town hold UNH to the terms of the contract between itself and the university. The contract expires on December 31, 2015 and requires a one-year notification if it is not able to open for any reason. The notification of closure letter sent by UNH VP Mark Rubinstein to Todd is dated November 1, 2013.
Ask the Town Council to review all contracts and MOUs between the town and the university – fire, police, use of the Depot lot, Jackson Landing, etc. to determine if changes should be considered.
Mention that if we lose the pool, we lose a true community center. This loss together with all the changes in our downtown gives one the sense that we are losing what has made Durham special to many of us.
Pool on Seven to Save
We’re very happy to announce that the UNH Outdoor Pool has been included on the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance’s 2013 Seven to Save List, an annual listing of New Hampshire’s most endangered historic landmarks. For more information and to view the list, visit http://www.nhpreservation.org/news-a-events/signature-events/seven-to-save.html
Planning Board Discussion
Hear what Town Administrator Todd Selig and the Planning Board had to say about the pool at last night’s meeting. The presentation and discussion start at around 9:34 (jump to 2:27 in the video).
http://dcat.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=116d3a0aa3e0af426b327d9ec646de40
Stay Tuned!
The pool may be closed for the season, but our work is just beginning. The next few weeks and months will be crucial in determining the fate of our beloved pool. Keep your eye out for future FUNHOP events, and of course, the public forum. Until then, keep those lawn signs up, keep those letters going, and keep telling people why the pool is important to you. On Tuesday, September 10th (rain date September 12th), the university will hold its annual U-Day community picnic in front of Thompson Hall from 3:30 until 6:30. Traditionally, this has been a great family-friendly event with free food and children’s entertainment. Please consider attending this event, and wear your “Preserve the Pool” shirt if you have one. There has been an overwhelming amount of community support over the summer, and let’s keep it going strong into the fall!
Friends of the UNH Outdoor Pool 