Lopatcong Town Council Meeting

• Date: Wednesday, July 3
• Time: 7:30 pm
• Location: Lopatcong Municipal Building, 232 S 3rd St., Phillipsburg, NJ 08865

We need people to attend and demonstrate strong support for the new pool by saying a few good things about it. 

Background:

An ordinance related to rebuilding the pool in Lopatcong is under consideration. Apparently, even after our meetings the last three years and the town council seemingly on board (I even sat in on a planning meeting with town council members and the pool architects to provide suggestions), there is still an element looking to nix the pool. Please know, funding from the pool is coming from a bond debt expiring, and so the money that used to go to the bond will be shifted to rebuilding the pool. As a result, no NEW tax is required and the budgeted amount is already in place. Additionally, the old Lopatcong pool always broke even or made a little bit of money each season, and it represented one of the few resources that could constitute a community center for which beyond the middle school none exists in Lopatcong.

Also, former Mayor Mengucci was in support of it, but he has since retired. As a result, we need a show of strength on Wednesday evening to keep the pressure on. 

Obviously, having a new Lopatcong pool at our traditional swim team home would benefit us. Also, the pool architects seemed to take our ideas, so the pool will be better designed to balance swim team and community activities. 

Talking Points

• Supports youth sports & development.
• TRADITION: The Lopatcong swim team was founded in 1969 and continues to operate to this day with over 120 kids each year. The swim team also hosts their invitational, and has done so since 1972, which makes is one of the oldest summer swim meets in both the state and nation. 
• Great place for families and children learning to swim.
• Acts as regional community center.
• Numerous senior and adult aquatic classes held, such as Aqua Zumba.
• Traditionally there was a summer camp there for kids each summer too.
• The park is being renovated already and the pool is the crown jewel of the park.
• Lifeguard, CPR, First Aid classes were routinely held there.
• Tri-Athletes and new Navy/Marine recruits trained there and took adult swim lessons to prepare.
• The Boy Scouts completed there swimming requirements there.
• Demolishing & removing the pool, cleaning up the environmental impact, and even just filling it in to make it grass costs nearly as much as just rebuilding it. 
• The affect on property taxes is negligible.

With all this in mind, there is simply no counter argument that has any weight (at least none that stacks up against the above) to not have the pool.

Please forward this along to anyone who may be in support of the pool too. :)

Hope to see you on Wednesday,

Coach Drake