I don't know if they are Elmanites, Elmadonians, or Elmers. I prefer Elmers, as in "They are from Elmers."

Good on you for getting involved in your local community issues. The issue as far as the application of limited funds in a small town generally has two sides. Yours and theirs.

Pools are generally considered an extravagance. The City of Olympia doesn't have their own pool, yet you propose the construction of a pool. Rather than just saying, "Hey, we need a pool!" Do the leg work. Find out if there is support for a community pool. What would the cost be? How would you propose to pay for the upkeep of the pool? What additional funding sources are there for the pool?

Lots of ideas sound pretty cool, but once the legwork has been completed, and the true costs realized, it becomes apparent that other programs would need to be cut, or a new tax levied to support this program.

Saying that, "there 'oughtta be a pool," is really similar to your neighbor saying, "there 'oughtta be a law against barking dogs." No offense meant, but you have just created your own special interest group.

Many ideas presented to the McCleary School Board while I was on the board were neat ideas in theory, but when we asked these folks how they planned to pay for their ideas, like a stand alone gym, the person making the proposal had no idea or reasonbly thought out suggestions.

My wife worked for Elma PD, and by all means they were not an organization dripping with excess funds. The drug and crime problem is unique in that area, and those officers do everything they can to help out. Public safety should be priority #1 for small town governments, and that sounds like what the mayor is doing.

My suggestions to you. Do the legwork first, realizing that there is a finite # of dollars available to Elma. Find out support for your idea, get an estimate of costs and upkeep, find a funding source that will continue as long as the pool will be in existence, and then make a proposal all wrapped up in a nice bow. I would also suggest you run for office to see how it really does work from the inside. It was an eye opening experience for me. If your proposal has no funding source other than taking money away from other projects, you are short sighted.

A pool would be nice, but the Elma ponds make a nice swimming hole in the summer. Who would want to swim inside on a nice sunny day? Many Harborites travel to Aberdeen and swim in the YMCA pool during the fall, winter, and spring. There are reasonable substitutes for the program.

Best of luck on you proposal.