BS R US

Okay, we have somebody who disputes the opinions and figures stated here, one by one. GREAT. Unfortunately, they present NO facts of figures to support their case. NONE. ZIP. ZERO. NADA. IF they have contrary facts or figures present them here so that everyone can inspect them. The facts and figures regarding the pool and its operational problems have been presented here numerous times. WHICH specific facts or figures are you disputing? To make a statement without ANY facts or figures to back them up is a ridiculous waste of our time. Are you saying that MDAC did NOT rent the MDC South pool 4 years ago for at least $1300 a month? Are you saying that MDAC did NOT move from there to the Springs pool for $200 a month? Are you saying that MDAC has NEVER been behind on those $200 a month payments? Are you saying that MDAC can, and will, prove that to be true? Are you saying that MDAC can verify and certify that the numbers of Springs swimmers in their team is from 15 to 30 swimmers each month? To make unverified and uncertified statements with NO proof offered is just blowing smoke! Pure and unadulterated BS! "Its true because I say its true" - that sounds a LOT like city management now. BS R Us could be their motto. Tell us again about the Optimist connection - that is always good for a chuckle.

FOI redux

Yes, there was something in there about the Wet Dolfin Academy or something, and very possibly a receipt, altho some of it was in Spanish. Will check again tomorrow. The invoice question is a good one. Perhaps a FOI for the HS billing invoices and subsequent payments would be in order. A FOI for MDAC billing and subsequent payments might be even MORE interesting! A FOI from the resident dated 12-10-08 requested to see all "the revenues we have received from Miami Dade Aquatics Club, Columbus HS, and Reagan HS for practices and meets, etc." A current roster of names for those entities was also requested via FOI the same day. No word so far, but they DID make the records available for viewing and copying. Curious if that meets the requirements for an FOI- you think?

inaccuracies?

What information has the resident presented that wasnt accurate? Did he say there was an Optimist connection? Did he say that MDAC has been paying $200 a month all along? (only to find evidence of of only FOUR months payments in the last 36 months). Did he say that the pool meet rentals were $750 a day, yet no evidence of that sum ever being collected, exists? Did he post annual revenues on the City website that bear NO resemblance to the claims that are made by city officials, regarding actual income taken in ? What exactly did he say that was inaccurate? He is willing to listen to other accurate and verifiable numbers from other sources if they are available, but none have been posted here! Gorland admitted to the resident that at times the numbers of Springs swimmers on MDAC dip into the single digits, yet Gym's memo says, according to the team owner, the lowest it has been is 15 kids. The POOL DIRECTOR (Gorland)doesnt know how many Springs kids from MDAC are using the pool? Who are we to believe? Why dont they just give us a roster for the past three years (to account for seasonality) and settle it, once and for all? Lets clear this up.

memo

How many hours a day does the swim team use the pool? Roughly three hours in the water. This includes the kids in the shallow end 4;30 to 6pm, and the advanced swimmers in the deep end 5-7pm. Their original fee, per month, was $200. This was an agreed upon rate to allow them to build up the numbers on the team and encourage Miami Springs kids to join the team. As of Oct 1st, they are now charged $500 per month. That rate may appear low, but remember we are trying to provide a recreational oppurtunity for our kids thru this club team. In this sport,unless the municipality pays for a coach, success is found only at the club level. I think Miami Beach and Hialeah are the only two city-sponsored teams in Miami-Dade county. comment- Apparently the fire-sale rent concept has worked to atract kids to swimming, in Doral. It hasnt worked nearly as well here, in the Springs, but the Springs taxpayers STILL get the bills. IF 10% of that team is from the Springs, we should pay 10% of the expenses, and so on. Maybe it could be assessed on a quarterly basis. If they are so sure about the numbers of Springs kids involved, why dont they just submit a verifiable list on a weekly or monthly basis for the past 3 years, as was requested? Why are they resisting this? Its a simple way to clear up this question once and for all. Names, addresses, months involved, etc. Simple, no?

memo and more

The memo quoted is the same memo that the Council and the resident received this past Monday, in response to the residents questions. The rest will be put out in chunks as that seems to work best here. There would be more weight and confidence in the 140-147k cost estimate if they would show WHERE and HOW they got those numbers. As it is, it could be just as easily an arbitrary number pulled out of the sky if it has no real verifiable backing. Numbers without any receipts, invoice numbers, or bank statements we have plenty of NOW. Again, the crux of the issue, even if you consider the 150k or so number somewhat accurate, is that is the amount the residents are paying to subsidize a PRIVATE club that only has SIX Springs kids on it. There is NO doubt that MDAC is a private concern, right? The questions NOW are how many Springs kids are benefitting, and if the numbers are accurate. Memo... How many Springs kids are on the MDAC swim team? Answer- According to the owner of the team, the number varies from a low of 15 to a high of about 30 (approx 30-50% of the team, depending on seasonality)... IF those numbers are accurate, and it varies according to the season, then this question can be easily cleared up by revealing a monthly verifiable roster of the swimmers for the last 3 years or so, to account for the seasonality and allow a general idea about exactly how many kids are involved, on average. That was what was requested by the resident, but hasnt materialized yet. Why not? Its a simple solution to THAT part of the puzzle.

pool audit needed

The Council DID reassure the handful of residents present that, as long as THEY are on the job, the pool will remain open! They do NOT care how much it costs.. US! Garcia says its a quality of life issue, and that our quality of life will fall off a cliff if we only have the pool open during the Summer! Once we start down that slippery slope towards fiscal responsibility, in no time we will somehow become a suburban ghetto, without a soul or identity! Please. It WAS nice to see all the residents out for the Council meeting AND it was also good to hear all the stories about the healing properties and beneficial effects of having a community pool and swimming. Nobody is saying that swimming is NOT great exercise OR that swimming on a team wouldnt be good thing. What we ARE saying is that we are in tough times and cant afford to be subsidizing private businesses while we, the residents, are losing 200k at the pool. Is there ANYBODY who believes we SHOULD be giving away our City resources to private businesses so THEY can profit? On what grounds would they make that claim? There is NO verifiable proof that 15-30 Springs kids are on the M-D Aquatic Club, now or in recent memory! Until there IS verifiable proof that the numbers arent closer to SIX, that number will stand. Is there ANYBODY who believes that 13000+ Springs taxpayers should pay all the 200k costs for those SIX kids to practice year-round? Why would ANYBODY believe that Springs taxpayers should pay thru the nose for kids on a team that is 95% non-residents? Was MDAC in error when they told the Doral City Council that a large majority of their kids are from Doral? and that they use our facilities for free? How could they have made a simple mistake like that? Somebody is NOT telling the truth here. Who could that be?