Swimming Pool Discussion Highlight’s Flawed Process

by Ryan Shell on May 7, 2009

While watching Tuesday night’s Greensboro City Council meeting I was somewhat shocked at how the conversation about building a pool at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex transpired. The conversation about this single item stretched nearly an hour, and by all means I understand that lengthy discussions are needed at times, but a bulk of the time was spent talking about committees and who should serve on what.

Towards the beginning of the discussion Councilman Matheny made a motion to basically let the War Memorial folks run with the project, and Councilwoman Bellamy-Small made an amendment to include Parks & Recreation in the planning process. Her amendment made sense in my eyes given the fact that the pool is being paid for in large part by a Parks & Recreation Bond that citizens previously passed.

After the Councilwoman made her amendment things started to breakdown and the conversation of who would serve on what committee took a life of its own. I’m all for collaboration, especially in the early phases of a project, but when you involve such a large number of individuals things tend to move at a snails pace, something Councilman Barber eventually highlighted during the discussion.

This is where the council needs a new formula, or guide, when making new commissions, committees, appointments etc. There’s already a methodology in which citizens are appointed, but it’s hugely flawed. When I’m on the Council I plan on revamping this process, which will allow Districts to be equally represented and also clear up a few other wide spread issues. By doing so the Council won’t have to waste so much time worrying about who serves on what or who is and isn’t represented.

  • Share/Bookmark

Comments on this entry are closed.

Previous post: Community Brainstorms about Park & Expresses Concerns to the GPD

Next post: Need a Little “Can Do Attitude?”