Broadlands Rec. Center - CALL SUPERVISORS!

Received the newsletter below from Snow today. Good news in that he and
Tulloch have proposed moving the Broadlands Rec Center referendum vote
up to Nov. 2006. Previously it was scheduled to go to vote in 2009 which would
have meant that it was not built for 5 - 6 years. According to Snow there is
some opposition on the board to allowing us to vote on this. Seems like opposing
a vote would mean that you don't trust voters to make the right decision?
In any case, those of you in Broadlands who would like to see a rec center
in place of the now dead YMCA project (which was supposed to be built at
the corner of Truro Parish and Belmont Ridge) should email the BOS at
bos@loudoun.gov and express your opinion so that they know there is support.

This is what Snow sent out:

***Budget Update

I wanted to let you know that yesterday, in the Finance/Government
Services Committee, Supervisor Tulloch and I put forward a proposal for
the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). This proposal included moving up
both the Broadlands Recreational Center (75,000 s.f) and Phase II of the
Dulles South Multi-Purpose Facility (67,100 s.f.) to go to referendum
this November. Several Supervisors have already stated their opposition
to these projects. I believe we need both of these facilities as soon
as possible and I intend to fight to get them on the ballot in November.
After the YMCA pulled their proposal, Ashburn Farm, Broadlands and
Brambleton are left without any recreational facilities and we cannot
wait until 2011 or 2012 to build this facility. I was successful two
years ago in fighting to implement Phase I of the Dulles South
Multi-Purpose Facility, however, the need for recreational and community
space for residents already existing in Dulles South is great. If either
of these projects are of interest to you, I urge you to contact the
Board to express your opinion

 

OK .. here's the question. Voters go to the polls to say yes, as they do with schools, etc.

Voters then get assessments, scream bloody murder, and assessments get lower, but no money to pay for CIP projects ??

I'm all for infrastructure upgrades and new building, but then someone has to pay for them. Again, I'm willing .. who else ??

 

Neil,

FYI, the voters already approved the phase 1 referendum for the South Riding facility. No reason to expect that they would oppose a similar facility Broadlands.

skins fan

 

Reread my note ... never said they would. I said they would vote for it, as they vote for school projects, then scream about the tax bill later on.

 

Neilz-
One main difference is that a rec center will generate revenue that will cover its operating expenses and probably a little more.

 

thanks for posting this. We often talk about wanting a rec center but don't know what to do to provide support for the idea. I appreciate you putting the Email address out there to send support messages to.

 

We hope ... I would take a look at the costs of the existing centers, and then look at any subsidies that are being used by the Parks Dept.

I'm all in favor of the center ... but I fully expect to hear people complaining about cost.

BTW .. with the latest zoning commission recommendation, expect more traffic issues and a push to use county tax monies for transportation.

 

I am sure that somebody will complain. They usually do. So what?

The point is that a rec center here in Broadlands would be beneficial for
everyone in the community. I hope that everyone who supports the project
takes the time to send emails of support to the BOS.

 

Broadlands Rec. Center on the ballot for 2007

Steve Snow reports in his weekly email that the Broadlands Rec. Center
will go to referendum in 2007 instead of 2011. This is great news IMO.
Thanks to everyone who wrote the BOS to express support.
Below is what Snow wrote:

"The Board also approved the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) by a
vote of 6-3. I was successful in accelerating the Broadlands
Recreation Center which should go to referendum in November 2007.
As I stated previously, this project is very important since the YMCA withdrew
their public-private partnership proposal."

 

As I understand it, the referendum will be a question to voters as to whether
the county should issue bonds to raise funding for the project. These bonds
have to later be paid back from revenues. My guess is that the board
schedules partially based on when that commitment can/should be made
given budget concerns and revenue projections. I am not 100% sure though.
The vote probably could happen in 2006 from a technical standpoint.
Once the bonds are issued, the project can begin so we will still be looking
at 2009 or so before it is completed but this is better than 2012.

 

Also, even if it goes to a voter bond referendum and passes, it does not guarantee when it will be built. The Board of Supervisors can still wait several years to still build it. They look at the county's overall debt and debt limit to determine if they want to add the cost of individual projects to that debt limit.