Up to council to take next steps

To the editor:
I was privileged to attend Monday’s meeting of the Portland City Council, and was impressed by the obvious pre-planning that had taken place, the crisp pace of getting business handled and the productive dialogue. I paused to consider the degree to which each council member had studied the details of matters that were under consideration.
Along with Melodi Haley, who addressed the council, my wife — June Barger Domingo — while in junior high school was a regular user of the “new Portland pool.” Our children have fond memories of taking swimming lessons there, but now that we have grandchildren (and four great-grands), that decrepit relic is the very last local place we would ever take them when they visit. What a stark, incongruous contradiction that is in a proud town that boasts remarkable jewels like Hudson Family Park, the library, Arts Place, the fairgrounds, John Jay Center, Jay Community Center, Museum of the Soldier and Jay County Historical Society, along with countless other special attractions.
It was refreshing to hear it repeatedly stated (without dispute) that “The members of this city council are in agreement that (no more money for “repairs” should be thrown into) the town pool.”
Our situation is very much like a family reluctantly — and belatedly — deciding to abandon a rusty rattle-trap and to buy a new car. This comparison comes to mind because I have occasionally found myself in a slightly similar situation. At such times, while I have been crucially involved in the budgeting decision of “how much of a car we can afford,” we like to include a friend or relative in the shopping and negotiating roles because of knowledge and/or skill they have, in which I am less qualified.  
Nearly everyone present at the city council meeting seemed to understand that the objective was to make the first two decisions: 1) Should we pull the plug on the old pool? 2) How much of a new pool can we commit to buying?  
The other groups and individuals who are qualified and ready to undertake the shopping and negotiating jobs are obviously in place. The city council will some day get to vote “yes” or “no” on a specific pool plan, by a particular contractor, at a stated price. That was clearly not the purpose of deliberations Monday.
The Portland community is left to wonder if the four council members who were obviously confused about this distinction last night will figure it out within the next two weeks.
Roger Domingo
Portland[[In-content Ad]]