From former Cary Grade School Board President Scott Coffey:
“I just noticed your posts on the CL Park District interest in purchasing the old Healthbridge facility.
“I thought that ridiculous idea had been killed off several years ago.
“I am wondering if the district had received any financial information from Northwestern from a time period when the facility was an ongoing concern?
“That information would be key in determining how badly the losses were piling up for Northwestern.
“I did notice that Northwestern still pays the $172,000 annual tax bill on the property.
“If it comes off the tax rolls, the taxpayers are on the hook to make up that shortfall, on top of whatever incremental property taxes are required to fund losses on operations on an annual basis.
“The upfront costs to refurbish a building that has been vacant for years may be astronomical.
“My own experience from my time on the D26 Board from when we refurbished the Oak Knoll school that had been vacant for 5 years was very costly.
“Everything had to be replaced from boilers to A/C to gym flooring, etc.
I can’t imagine what it would cost to refurb the pools.
“Where would the millions in cash come from to purchase the property, refurbish it and then add all the systems to run it and the equipment for users?
“It would be easier to offer residents a voucher for a membership at the YMCA or Huntley-Healthbridge.
“It would probably save CL taxpayers more than $10 million over the next 10 years.
“Plus you would not have to wait 3+ years for all the construction to be finalized for residents to get the exercise the district claims they need.”
