Council asked to deny Butte woman’s pool request

By Justin Post of The Montana Standard - 07/15/2008

A county commissioner is recommending the council deny a Butte woman’s request to demolish the pool at Stodden Park and designate the site for the Splash Butte Water Park.

“Frankly, it doesn’t even deserve council consideration,” said Commissioner Charlie O’Leary, chairman of the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners. “We appreciate the citizen input, but this letter is a little bit beyond the reach.” As chairman, O’Leary makes recommendations to the full council on items such as the July 10 letter from Fran Doran of Splash Butte.

Doran has asked to discuss her requests during this week’s council meeting. She is seeking to designate the site for a water park, demolish the old pool and sponsor open houses several times at the pool “to inform the public of the dilapidated condition of the pool.” O’Leary said several issues would make Doran’s requests unlikely. There are liability issues with allowing a private contractor to work on city-county property as well as legal, policy and contractual questions, he said.

“She’s asking us to concur with her hiring someone to go in and tear down a public building…” O’Leary said. “That certainly isn’t the way we do business.” O’Leary pointed out the city-county is amidst an overhaul of its parks and recreation master plan, and the document should be completed this fall.

“Why she wants to jump sideways now and start doing things outside of the process is disturbing to me,” he said.

O’Leary also said commissioners, public works officials, health department employees and the public already have visited the decaying pool and witnessed the damage.

“There’s nothing to tell in this story, we know it’s broken,” he said.

Doran, on the other hand, says the city-county has nothing to lose by approving her request. Her non-profit organization is developing a business plan and needs the site designated as the Splash Butte Water Park as part of that process.

The designation would allow the group to apply for grants, which she says would help defray the local taxpayer burden for a new pool.

Demolishing the old pool and buildings would at least be a move toward a new facility, she said.

“Why don’t we clean it up?” she asked. “I can get a contractor to do that for us for free at no cost to the taxpayer.” Doran would like to move forward with a business plan now, regardless of whether the community eventually chooses another location.

“They can take the land back, but give us the opportunity to put in a business plan,” she said. “We just want to move forward with this and get a water park in Butte.” Commissioners will decide Wednesday whether to hear Doran’s presentation, or may follow O’Leary’s request for denial.

Council meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third floor of the courthouse, 155 W. Granite.

— Reporter Justin Post may be reached via e-mail at justin.post@lee.net.