Clear Lake mayor happy about city, school district partnership on wellness center proposal (AUDIO)

CLEAR LAKE — Clear Lake’s mayor says he’s happy to see cooperation between the city and Clear Lake Community School District leaders in working on a new community wellness center. School District voters will head to the polls on March 3rd to decide on a $17 million bond issue to fund construction of the facility that would be on the south side of the high school gymnasium.

Clear Lake mayor Nelson Crabb says while the school district would use the funds from the bond issue to construct the facility, the city will operate the facility in cooperation with the schools. .  “We’re going to get a 28E agreement that will be developed indicating plans and responsibilities of the school and the city, and at this point, if things all work out, after Atura Architecture does the planning work on the facility, then we will sit down, work out this 28E agreement and begin to move on this. As I see it, as they see it, the school will be building the facility, and the city will be operating and managing the facility.”

Crabb says the city and school district is taking what he calls a “phased-in” approach.  “The school will do their part, the city will do their part, we will be working together. The community will be doing their part by voting positively for this, because it will be good for the entire community, not just the school.”

Crabb says while the school district are taking care of the bond issue, the city will likely make a financial contribution toward the project.  “We’ve also indicated to them that we would most likely, if the bond issue  is successful, and I see no reason why it shouldn’t be, it will be at that point in time, once we see all the plans, there will be no hidden facts in there at all, it’ll be all put out to the public, and as soon as that’s approved, then we will come forth and probably invest somewhere in the neighborhood of $700,000 ourselves in that and begin to move along.”

Superintendent Doug Gee says a $17-to-18 million bond issue would not do anything to affect the school district’s current property tax rate. Over 740 people recently responded to a community survey about the proposed project, with 72-percent saying they’d use such a wellness facility.

Crabb made his comments on today’s edition of the “Ask the Mayor” program on AM-1300 KGLO. You can listen back to the program via the audio player below.