Aquatics Master Plan

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Kathie Tovo
Posts: 128
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:18 am

Aquatics Master Plan

Post by Kathie Tovo »

Colleagues,

I regret that I will not be at the Tuesday work session to participate in the discussion about the Aquatics Master Plan, but I am following this issue closely.

I appreciate the work that our Parks and Recreation Department staff have done in engaging the community during the development of the plan. However, I agree with the Parks and Recreation Board that more review and public input into the Master Plan itself is necessary. As most of you likely know from the press coverage, the Parks Board declined to recommend the Master Plan and instead voted to create a working group to provide feedback and collect public input on the Plan itself.

Our neighborhood pools are an important resource to our Austin community, and I am very concerned about an analysis that may be pointing toward closing some of our popular and much-beloved pools. Clearly, we have much discussion ahead of us — and I’d like to ensure that the draft Master Plan receives the comprehensive review it deserves.

Council Member Pool and I are discussing with Parks and Recreation Board members and community advocates about the best way to proceed, but I wanted to signal that I will be asking for a postponement of Council consideration of the Master Plan (currently scheduled for 8/10) and that I will likely bring a Resolution forward to create a several-month task force to review and provide feedback on the completed plan. Given the new Council IFC submission deadlines, the resolution would come forth on the 8/17 Council meeting agenda at the earliest.

I look forward to hearing the thoughts of my colleagues. I will see you all on Wednesday for the Council budget discussion.

Best,
Kathie Tovo
Council District 9