The Mesa City Council and officials at Mesa Public Schools are meeting Thursday to “talk about joint opportunities and joint concerns and see how they can partner together,” City Spokesman Kevin Christopher said.
According to the meeting agenda, the two entities are going to discuss their “immediate needs.”
Mesa Public Schools and the city have a joint partnership in running the public swimming pools, for instance, an item likely to figure in the discussions.
Currently, two major pool renovation projects are in the works, one of which is an $8 million project at Kino Junior High School. The previous City Council approved funding allocation for that in April. But recently, the new City Council put on hold approval of the Rhodes Junior High pool renovations, another multimillion dollar undertaking.
Councilman Dave Richins, in an earlier council study session, had questioned additional amenities being added to these pools. He had said that even if money is earmarked through the Quality of Life funds, it could be revisited, given the current tight financial crunch the city is in. Instead, he has said the city could look at the possibility of using that extra money on another city pool renovation, for instance.
City parks and recreation officials have said that the extra amenities draw many more residents to the pools, as evidenced at Carson Junior High. Parks and Recreation director Rhett Evans had earlier told the Tribune that he would much rather that more residents use a pool because of those extra features than have fewer residents visit the city pools.
The extra pool amenity at Rhodes would cost about $1 million. The money for this would come from “Quality of Life” sales tax funds, earmarked for these renovations. No money will be spent from Mesa’s General Fund.
It isn’t immediately clear if this particular issue is going to be discussed at Thursday’s meeting, but the city has been involved in behind-the-scenes discussions with Mesa school officials about the public swimming pools in general, including the one at Rhodes, over the past few months.
Christopher said the City Council aims to periodically hold such public meetings with other entities, although this is the first such since the new council group took office in June.
The last time Mesa held a joint meeting was with the Queen Creek Town Council back in 2006.
If You Go:
What: Joint meeting between Mesa City Council and Mesa Public Schools
When: Thurs, Sept. 25, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Veranda Restaurant, Dobson Ranch Golf Course
2155 S Dobson Rd, Mesa AZ 85202
