Palmetto wants a new pool — but it’s not ready to help pay for it

Frustration continues to mount as Palmetto officials argued with each other Monday night whether to meet Manatee County’s request for the city to pay $1 million toward a new pool at Lincoln Park.

Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant said the commission needed to come to a consensus by a self-imposed April 24 deadline. Based on Monday’s discussion, she will communicate to the county that the city would instead rather donate the land at Lincoln Park and “come up with a financial balance if needed.”

Charlie Hunsicker, Manatee County director of Parks and Natural Resources, announced in February the county wants to locate an aquatics center at Lincoln Park at a cost of $4 million and asked the city to chip in 25 percent. The county commission subsequently approved the idea March 7, but Palmetto is not ready to commit the funding.

Bryant said the 15-year financial deal would cost the city about $89,000 a year. Palmetto has already committed $8.5 million toward a new hotel at the Bradenton Area Convention Center at the county’s request. That has not only raised financial concerns for the city but some anger at the county for bringing up the pool idea after the city agreed to the hotel.

“Had I known about this before the $8.5 million for the hotel, this would be different,” said Commissioner Tambra Varnadore. “The fact that the county didn’t mention this pool agreement until after they had our approval for the hotel is a concern of mine. We are taking on a lot of debt.”

Varnadore and Vice Mayor Brian Williams are arguing for further negotiations with the county to either donate the 4 acres slated for the pool or potentially donate the entire park, which is worth approximately $2 million, according to Williams. The county maintains the park and Varnadore said if the county hit hard times, it could easily pass the responsibility of maintaining the pool onto the city. Varnadore said the city could never afford it.

“I would rather not own the land,” she said. “It’s a liability.”

Hedging away from finding the funding didn’t sit well with Commissioner Harold Smith.

“We’ve got everything for all grown folks around and we need to get this done for our children,” he said.

Smith went on to say he would continually oppose any further projects benefiting adults until the city addressed the needs of the city’s youth. The city had discussed using funds from the half-cent sales tax, which will generate about $1 million a year for the next 15 years.

“But the county’s share is about $300 million,” said Williams, who pointed out Palmetto’s offer to donate land is exactly what the county did to the city for the hotel.

“We are putting $8.5 million into the hotel and we’re going to get the land,” he said. “Now we have a situation where it’s just the reverse.”

Bryant said she would take the commission’s suggestions to the county and if necessary, call a special meeting to get the situation resolved before the county commission’s April 25 meeting.

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 10:07 AM with the headline "Palmetto wants a new pool — but it’s not ready to help pay for it."