New pool for RB not a luxury
In 1954 a first class postage stamp cost 3 cents. A new swimming pool was built at Riverside-Brookfield High School. The boys swam in the nude.
Today is a different world. All students must pass an RB swimming skills proficiency test as a graduation requirement. Therefore, classes are taught throughout the day. This morning, swim practice started at 6 a.m. School and community teams will practice from 3:30 p.m. straight through until 9 p.m. this evening.
RB is a public facility that welcomes the area citizens by offering community lap swim, learn-to-swim programs for tots, swim lessons and an age-group swim team for students 5 to 18 years of age.
The athletic department supports both varsity and JV teams for boys and girls, four water polo teams, diving, kayaking and lifeguard certification. The pool is used 13 hours a day throughout the school year and all morning during the summer months.
In 1954, the district constructed a state of the art 25-yard pool with two diving boards on hinges. Today that pool does not meet diving depth requirements in the shallow end, and six lanes have been squeezed into five.
Fifty-two years ago the facility was shiny and new, and has served the students and community well. Today the pipes are cracked, the pumps are failing, water is leaking under the deck and the heating and filter systems habitually fail. Continued repairs to the aging infrastructure will cost twice as much in the long run. Performing constant stop-gap measures is literally throwing money down the drain.
The RB community has an opportunity to build an aquatic facility that will serve the students and citizens for decades. The plans present a 25-yard pool and diving well with a moveable bulkhead.
Sound luxurious? Not really. What it sounds like is well thought out, smart and sensible; the best possible use of limited space. The configuration will allow diving to coexist with swimming, several wellness programs to run simultaneously, a regulation single depth pool for water polo and expanded swim lesson sessions.
An adequate spectator seating area and speaker system will allow RB to host major events. Currently the seating consists of portable bleachers set up on the stage, with an antiquated announcing system that is shared with the gym.
Now is the time to make the right choice by voting in favor of the building referendum. District 208 wants the chance to do this project once, and to do it right. Invest in the future of your top ranked local high school by voting yes on March 21st.
In 1954, the bikini was all the rage. Some things never change, but RB needs to change its physical structure to keep up with the needs of today and far into the future.
Deb Pike
Riverside
Brookfield officials mismanaging finances
On Feb. 9, John Dolasinski “resigned” his position as finance director of the Village of Brookfield (“Brookfield finance director resigns his post,” News, Feb. 15). He had been on administrative leave since Jan. 27.
Dolasinski will be given a severance package of $36,200. The agreement also stipulates that he will not sue the village for the “voluntary” termination of his employment with the village. In other words, his silence has been bought.
This is the same type of agreement given to former village manager Dave Owen, except he got over $50,000. The caveat given is that they will be available for consultation.
Certain village staff have also recently been given outrageous salary increases. The village just recently hired an assistant village manager with less than five years experience in municipal government for $93,000 a year plus benefits of about an additional $20,000 to be a gofer for the inaccessible village manager.
Dolasinski’s main focus as the finance director was to oversee the financial matters of the village and prepare the yearly budget. During his tenure there has been a positive cash flow (balanced budgets) and the village has an A-plus bond rating.
Now that Dolasinski has been gotten out of the way, a CPA has been hired for $125 an hour to complete the budget for fiscal 2006-07. [He is being] paid for not working to go away quietly. Then someone is paid to do the work Dolasinski is getting paid not to do.
The next time you hear that the village needs money and it needs to increase taxes, raise your voices.
Joan Bradley
Brookfield
Support both D95, 208 referendums
I would like to express my support for both the District 95 and District 208 referendums and ask that of all the voters in this community to do the same.
I like most people see the importance of education, exercise, and healthy recreation. In a time of continued job loss and adult and child obesity, we cannot continue to sit back and watch the future of our county or our community deteriorate.
We the adult voters in this community must assume responsibility for our youth and provide them with the best resources available to become the best persons to protect our future.
After this school year, I will have no other students attending any of the fine schools in our community. As a matter of fact I only have one child who, in my opinion, has received an excellent education at both the elementary and high school levels. Will this deter me from voting yes? No, it will not, because the future of our country and community are built upon the children of today and tomorrow who will benefit greatly from these proposed improvements.
I would also like to thank all the folks who took the time to write supporting this same great cause. To the alumni of RBHS, I ask that you contact your fellow members and ask them to reach out to those who may still have family in this community. Let’s get everyone to vote “yes” on March 21.
Leanne M. Digan
Brookfield
