LETTER TO EDITOR: It’s too soon to talk costs for pool

To the editor:

I am writing this letter in response to the article published on July 19 titled “One-day pass at new pool could cost $8.” I find that this headline is irresponsible reporting and, at best, misleading your community members on the facts and reporting on the events of the previous evening’s public meeting. I would like to request a retraction of that headline and clearing up of the misleading article.

Not only is the headline lacking in fact, it in no respect is relevant to the voters who need to evaluate the proposed facility on its merits. As the host of the meeting, I do not recall that specific number being stated. The closest reference made to such a number was from a member of the audience who compared the rates charged at a Sequim aquatic facility for a non-resident single day adult user pass. That rate would be the highest that any facility would charge and, even if it did pertain to the proposed facility, it does not pertain to resident taxpayers of the South Whidbey Parks & Recreation District.

It should also be noted that the very last paragraph of the article did state that financial data for the South Whidbey project has not been completed. This not only suppresses the fact that reporting on costs is inaccurate and shouldn’t be used in an article, but misleads the reader about reporting on a meeting that was to discuss the proposed programming for the facility; not costs.

ORB Architects expects to report to the parks & recreation district and the work team on the financial data and operating costs by the first week of August. This will be the first time that anyone has the opportunity to truly evaluate what cost for admission may be.

Geoff E. Anderson

ORB Architects

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