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At the City Council meeting in November, it was brought to light, and I use this term lightly, that the Parks and Recreation Department wanted approximately $350,000 to add a fitness center to the Frances Meadows Aquatics and Community Center.
Myself, the owners from Bodyplex and a board member from the YMCA were there to protest this request. Why? Because it is wrong for the city to use taxpayers’ dollars, including ours, and go into direct competition against us.
Business owners of any kind should be very concerned about this. Where will it end? Will the city put a competing business directly across the street from you? Hey, they are wanting to do it to us, so don’t be so sure they won’t do it to you.
Protest this gross violation of using taxpayers’ money to compete with us. It is wrong and they know it is wrong. There is plenty of room in this town to go work out. We do not need another fitness facility and certainly not one that is using taxpayers’ money. Better to hire back some teachers, or give the police a raise.
Let the council know how you feel about this gross abuse of our hard-earned tax dollars. We all are having to watch our money in these hard economic times, but the city seems to have plenty of money. I guess that is because it is not "their" money. The waste of spending trickles all the way from Washington down to the local level.
Lenny Baker
Gainesville