Tom Phillips on Bonds

-----
In a Radio Interview this morning, City Councilman Tom Phillips was asked about the proposed bond issues to be included on the November 2006 ballot. The proposals presently being considered will apparently exceed $20 million.

Phillips said that there are lots of worthwhile projects being discussed, but the only one he feels is necessary is the one for building new fire stations. He said that he was "really disappointed," adding in jest that he had been pushing for a city council helicopter that has been talked about for many years.

An olympic size swimming pool has been proposed as part of a YWCA building project. This is the same pool that failed to pass in the last bond referendum. It has been moved from being a YMCA project to being a YWCA project. Mr. Phillips suggested that if the city is going to pay for the pool, and the citizens want the pool, it should be owned and managed by the city.

One place that has been suggested for the pool is close to the Coliseum. Phillips said, "Matt Brown knows a whole lot about swimming pools. He has experience and knows exactly how to make a project like this successful."

Phillips has apparently discussed this possibility with the Coliseum management and with Greensboro Parks and Recreation Dept. because he said that P&R does not want to manage a tournament-type pool, so the logical place for it is at the Coliseum with Coliseum management.(That is if the bond passes for $7 million to build the pool and $2 million for land, and if the citizens want to take on the cost of operation of the facility.)