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Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
Regarding the article in the Jan. 19, 2005 Rockport Pilot discussing Aransas County plans to withdraw $25,000 in funding from the Community Aquatic Center and the cutbacks this will necessitate - let's be more to the point. What is not stated is withdrawing the funds and the proposal to close the pool during the winter to make up the shortfall is tantamount to saying,
"We are no longer having a swimming team at ACISD, or other school-year or winter swimming programs for the young or winter swimming activities of interest to winter Texans and community retirees or other adults in the community." Considering the maritime environment and heritage of Rockport-Fulton, and the beautiful facility already in existence, there is something wrong with this picture.
Swimming, unlike many other sports is an exercise activity in which almost all can participate, including the physically challenged, the young and the old.
What wonderful opportunities present themselves when swimming is available through the winter without huge private membership fees many could not afford. As with most school-affiliated sports teams, the 25 member swim team starts practice in August. Competitive swim meets commence in September. But use of the pool is not just about the swim team. It is a community resource connected to all age groups. During the winter, 70 athletes of all ages, including adults, participate in the Sharks program in preparation for competitive meets during the summer. Some of the Sharks are home schooled children and in addition to the exercise and learning new athletic skills this is an important time to get together in an activity with other children. Starting in February, 200 sixth graders will go to the pool for a total of four one-hour sessions for each student as part of their physical education program. Also starting Feb. 11, 20 Special Olympics athletes will begin training at the facility.
Retirees and winter Texans also use the pool during the winter. There are many lap swimmers and the winter water aerobics class is seeing 25-35 people four days a week. For winter Texans, the pool is an important amenity in the Rockport-Fulton area.
The Aquatic Center already has reduced hours in the winter and reduced staff. It is closed two weeks in December and is open to the public only three hours three days of the week, five hours on Friday and six hours on Saturday. It is closed in winter both on Sunday and Monday. Except for the swim team's practice all of the activities described are packed into only 20 operating hours a week. The pool and its dedicated staff are doing all they can to serve diverse needs and further shortening hours of operation is no more a viable response to a threatened budget cut than is closing for the winter.
Finally, we must not forget the history of the Community Aquatic Center. The $1.6 million dollar facility has been open just a little over three years. Eighty-eight percent of the funds for construction were from private donors and grants. Only 12 percent came from public entities. From conception, there was a specific plan and intent to have a facility for year round use, support a swimming athletic program and allow for winter use by citizens. What a slap in the face to these civic-minded benefactors to so quickly betray the intentions of their generous gift of the Community Aquatic Park. With Aransas County's threatened lack of support it seems likely these philanthropists will think twice about supporting future Aransas County projects.
Go by and experience the Community Aquatic Park this winter and see for yourself. It may be your last chance. You won't be disappointed and you will see why so many feel Aransas County should continue its support of this wonderful community resource.
Elayne Arne
Dear Editor,
I would like to point out a few things to all the citizens of Rockport.
Rockport has become very popular for retiring adults over the past 20 years since I have been here. The reason being it was small and a considerably inexpensive area to live. Since they have been here, many new businesses have been built and homes, condos have also been built. Thus, the folks under age 65 have been able to have better jobs and afford homes or better homes than they had in the past.
If the taxes for the 65 over and disabled are not frozen, the retired folks on fixed incomes will be moving out. Then those younger folks won't need to worry about property taxes because many will lose their jobs, restaurants will start closing and the younger folks will be selling their homes. When I put a piece of property on the market and ask why the owner is selling...about one in five states they must move somewhere more affordable, referring to property taxes and insurance costs. When showing homes to prospective incoming retirees, I hear they will look elsewhere to find frozen property taxes for over 65, etc. One of our longtime good builders sold and moved to the Hill Country about two years ago citing, taxes being too high here. Some go to Corpus Christi and to Port Aransas since they just froze their city taxes.
I was shocked at our local chamber of commerce for inviting Todd Pearson (individually, not as an elected official) to speak against the tax freeze at their last luncheon. After all, he had already done the same speech a few weeks ago for them. They did not ask any of our group (Citizens for Responsible Government) to speak for the freeze. That was not very cool. Especially since there is no time for them to give equal opportunity to those for the freeze because the election is Feb. 5.
Helen Casterline
Regarding the article in the Jan. 19, 2005 Rockport Pilot discussing Aransas County plans to withdraw $25,000 in funding from the Community Aquatic Center and the cutbacks this will necessitate - let's be more to the point. What is not stated is withdrawing the funds and the proposal to close the pool during the winter to make up the shortfall is tantamount to saying,
"We are no longer having a swimming team at ACISD, or other school-year or winter swimming programs for the young or winter swimming activities of interest to winter Texans and community retirees or other adults in the community." Considering the maritime environment and heritage of Rockport-Fulton, and the beautiful facility already in existence, there is something wrong with this picture.
Swimming, unlike many other sports is an exercise activity in which almost all can participate, including the physically challenged, the young and the old.
What wonderful opportunities present themselves when swimming is available through the winter without huge private membership fees many could not afford. As with most school-affiliated sports teams, the 25 member swim team starts practice in August. Competitive swim meets commence in September. But use of the pool is not just about the swim team. It is a community resource connected to all age groups. During the winter, 70 athletes of all ages, including adults, participate in the Sharks program in preparation for competitive meets during the summer. Some of the Sharks are home schooled children and in addition to the exercise and learning new athletic skills this is an important time to get together in an activity with other children. Starting in February, 200 sixth graders will go to the pool for a total of four one-hour sessions for each student as part of their physical education program. Also starting Feb. 11, 20 Special Olympics athletes will begin training at the facility.
Retirees and winter Texans also use the pool during the winter. There are many lap swimmers and the winter water aerobics class is seeing 25-35 people four days a week. For winter Texans, the pool is an important amenity in the Rockport-Fulton area.
The Aquatic Center already has reduced hours in the winter and reduced staff. It is closed two weeks in December and is open to the public only three hours three days of the week, five hours on Friday and six hours on Saturday. It is closed in winter both on Sunday and Monday. Except for the swim team's practice all of the activities described are packed into only 20 operating hours a week. The pool and its dedicated staff are doing all they can to serve diverse needs and further shortening hours of operation is no more a viable response to a threatened budget cut than is closing for the winter.
Finally, we must not forget the history of the Community Aquatic Center. The $1.6 million dollar facility has been open just a little over three years. Eighty-eight percent of the funds for construction were from private donors and grants. Only 12 percent came from public entities. From conception, there was a specific plan and intent to have a facility for year round use, support a swimming athletic program and allow for winter use by citizens. What a slap in the face to these civic-minded benefactors to so quickly betray the intentions of their generous gift of the Community Aquatic Park. With Aransas County's threatened lack of support it seems likely these philanthropists will think twice about supporting future Aransas County projects.
Go by and experience the Community Aquatic Park this winter and see for yourself. It may be your last chance. You won't be disappointed and you will see why so many feel Aransas County should continue its support of this wonderful community resource.
Elayne Arne
Dear Editor,
I would like to point out a few things to all the citizens of Rockport.
Rockport has become very popular for retiring adults over the past 20 years since I have been here. The reason being it was small and a considerably inexpensive area to live. Since they have been here, many new businesses have been built and homes, condos have also been built. Thus, the folks under age 65 have been able to have better jobs and afford homes or better homes than they had in the past.
If the taxes for the 65 over and disabled are not frozen, the retired folks on fixed incomes will be moving out. Then those younger folks won't need to worry about property taxes because many will lose their jobs, restaurants will start closing and the younger folks will be selling their homes. When I put a piece of property on the market and ask why the owner is selling...about one in five states they must move somewhere more affordable, referring to property taxes and insurance costs. When showing homes to prospective incoming retirees, I hear they will look elsewhere to find frozen property taxes for over 65, etc. One of our longtime good builders sold and moved to the Hill Country about two years ago citing, taxes being too high here. Some go to Corpus Christi and to Port Aransas since they just froze their city taxes.
I was shocked at our local chamber of commerce for inviting Todd Pearson (individually, not as an elected official) to speak against the tax freeze at their last luncheon. After all, he had already done the same speech a few weeks ago for them. They did not ask any of our group (Citizens for Responsible Government) to speak for the freeze. That was not very cool. Especially since there is no time for them to give equal opportunity to those for the freeze because the election is Feb. 5.
Helen Casterline
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