I recently received a letter from the Shire's Bridgetown-Greenbushes Pool Fundraising Project.
They asked me to "contribute to this community project."
It is not a community project, it is a Shire Council project. The letter lacked detail as to how any contributed funds would be spent.
I replied, declining the request and gave the following reasons;
1. You have not properly explained what funds raised will be used for. "Some of the costs" and "additional pool equipment" are very vague descriptions. I would like to know how much of the costs are yet to be covered by ratepayers funds and borrowings. I would also like to know what equipment is not covered by the tender awarded to construct a pool and associated infrastructure.
2. I do not understand why a public fundraising drive is required to help pay for an upgrade to Council property. Surely this project falls within the Capital Works Program and Budget of the Council and hence should be properly funded as part of the Council's operations.
3. You appear to be double dipping. (We) already pay annual rates to the shire, which we expect will be used among other things to fund the provision of public amenities.
4. I think the project has been poorly managed. I do not understand why the existing pool was demolished a year ago, when all that has been done since then is to dig a hole in the ground.
5. If the Council had taken a pragmatic and prudent approach, it would have simply fixed whatever real problems (leaving aside aesthetic issues) there were with the existing pool, rather than demolishing it and starting again. This would have been a much less expensive and time-consuming option, thereby removing the need for public fundraising.
