Councilman Harvey gives pool explanation to Valdese Rec Commission

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is the text of an email written by Valdese Town Councilman Glenn Harvey to the members of the Valdese Recreation Commission. It is reprinted here with his permission.

TO THE RECREATION COMMISSION:

You undoubtedly know about the Council’s action that will enable cold-weather swimming to start this fall, albeit with a different structure than your group last recommended.

I wanted you and your other hard-working Parks and Rec Commission members to know that my role in moving this solution forward was in no way intended to disrespect your efforts, so please share these sentiments and information with them.

Coming from a career in the management of associations that depended on volunteer effort and contributions, I advocated for establishing new volunteer committees to advise the council on major decisions.

In the end, it is the council’s responsibility to the entire population to make the final decisions in the town’s best interest this year and for the future. At the same time, it can be disheartening to a committee if its recommendations are not followed to the “T.”

In recent months, no group experienced that let-down more severely than the Facilities Review Committee of five members with cumulative direct construction experience exceeding 150 years.

Like the P&R Commission, they devoted countless hours reviewing alternatives and visiting other facilities. What that group believed was a sound and experience-based recommendation was cast aside by the Town Council at its Oct. 7, 2024, meeting.

Our recent history of the pool cover began in December 2023, when David Anderson convened a small group of us to meet Yeadon personnel and review their Dec. 13, 2023, proposal for a replacement dome for $421,000 plus site work.

Yeadon’s Feb. 20, 2025, proposal that was approved by the council took that price up to $541,000 plus site work. In addition to cost increases, the new quote included lights and their premium coating that were not in the 12-13-23 proposal.

Further, we also learned more about Yeadon’s technological advances and that they now offer set-up and take-down services. Yeadon also provided Bo Weichel with a letter stating the expected life of their improved inflatable dome is now 25 years.

Along the way, several factors were considered, and there was confusion. Not the least of which was the term “permanent structure,” which Councilwoman Lowman correctly stated as “citizens’ priority” in the 2024 strategic plan.

I incorrectly challenged that because my mindset was incorrectly hearing “rigid frame with plastic panels.” Indeed, I was among many others advocating “permanent structure” in early 2024 until the realism of what a “bricks and mortar” permanent structure like Lenoir’s and Morganton’s would cost.

In April, your committee recommended the rigid, aluminum frame structure with removable panels. Clearly, it’s not a permanent structure. Nonetheless, I believe everyone agreed it would be better than another bubble if the cost were not too much greater.

The estimate of $569,000, plus site work, that was presented to the council in May, certainly seemed like a “no-brainer,” so the council approved hiring an architect to develop specs and obtain bids.

The architect’s estimate of $1.3 million in August was a shock, ameliorated considerably by an ADA compliance, NC grant of $500,000, and a $100,000 donation.

But the $500,000 explosion to the $1.8 million bid before the council received in December had to have been a shock to everyone involved.

Indeed, to proceed with the critical ADA-compliant renovations to the Rec Center, the fundamental purpose of the grant, the council had to approve the bid and move to the contract stage.

The in-depth review of the resultant contract we received in January and the detailed specifications and plans raised many red flags about a project that now exceeded $2 million, including the ADA compliance renovation estimate and the $90,000 paid to the architect.

With that amount exceeding even the recommendation that the council had rejected in October for the total cost of a police station on Main Street, the council voted to defer that action until we had some numbers on the other “million-dollar-plus” projects.

By Monday’s meeting, several factors resulted in my PowerPoint presentation — a PDF copy is attached for those who missed the presentation.

By taking action as we did on Monday, the Yeadon dome will be ready by October, so we do not have to deny winter swimming for the third year in a row.

Its total cost will be under $700,000, possibly as low as $640,000 ($541k installed cost, plus $95+k site estimate).

Further, all indications are that this fiscal year will end June 30 with revenue exceeding the budget by a significant amount — hopefully enough to return to reserves at least 50% of the cost of the dome.

Finally, I don’t know what you and your commission members are hearing from other citizens, but I have been hearing an increasing number of: 1) please get the pool open; 2) we don’t want to swim under a membrane roof in the summer; and 3) where and how can I contribute to the cost of getting year-round swimming back?

That final point leads to the opportunity that your Parks and Recreation Commission has, akin to the fund-raising effort for the ORS renovation in 2024, the rec center renovations in 2022, and the fantastic fund-raising efforts that enabled Lakeside Park.

In December, I submitted a check to the “Town of Valdese” for “pool cover” in the amount of my 2024 tax cut (rounded up) to support the council’s commitment to fulfilling its promise to citizens and approval of your committee’s fund-drive recommendation.

Since the council has set the 2025 tax rate at the same level as 2024, I will match my 2024 contribution.

The fulfillment of your committee and all the winter swimming advocates of the $300,000 fund-drive commitment would significantly contribute to the Town’s reserves and all the winter swimmers, from kids on swim teams to elderly aerobics class attendees.

Thank you again for the passion and hard work you and your commission members have contributed to ensuring year-round swimming for at least another twenty-five years.