Archive for June 24th, 2009

Yesterday, I went down to our public pool at Kellis Park. A small place with a little cement brick guard house, two or three guards on duty, three drink machines, and a couple trees, our local pool could perhaps accommodate 50 swimmers. Not as fancy as Forest Park, but not as crowded, either.

I was surprised to meet, while I was there, with a girl I had been teaching in music last spring. I asked her where she lived. “Over in the South Side, over by the school,” she said. “My dad had the day off today, he drove us out here.”

“Isn’t there a pool closer to the school than this?” It’s about eight miles, after all. No, there is not. This is the closest for her family.

Of course, and perhaps sadly, many of the type who make spending decisions in this city have never considered going to the public pool, since they have their home or a club or an association to patronize, so they have no concept of the fact that most of the 78,000 students in the FWISD will not be going to the pool this summer, because they would have to be driven there by their parents, who are busy, or don’t have a car, or are at work, and because the pools are too few and too small for the need, which means they are overcrowded and this impairs lifeguard’s ability to enforce rules and keep the peace.

I’ve heard that the City is about to cut its budget, so I suppose this is a crazy time to suggest that investment in parks infrastructure, pools to be specific, is indicated. But honestly, how much of the $1.2 billion budget of this city would be needed to beef up the pools? We’ve just had a huge repair job done on the drainage to West Creek Road two blocks from me, when in fact, no appreciable problem existed with the drainage or the paving, whereas the vast majority of Fort Worth’s children have no effective access to public swimming or swimming lessons this summer or any of the 7 summers we have been here.

The City has spent plenty of money on police (recently having announced that no money will be cult from the police budget, naturally). Is law enforcement perhaps considered more important to our City fathers because there is no private way of hiring a police force, and there is a private way of getting your kids to the pool?

This is a reminder to those city councilpersons who are working on the budget that for most of Fort Worth’s schoolchildren, private pools are not available. And when you create a city where there is no safe place for children to recreate and play, you are creating a city which will have a much greater need for a police force.

A stitch in time saves nine. Please consider taking a look at Kellis Park Pool, or at the crowded conditions at Forest Park Pool, and consider whether this is an adequate level of public pool service for a first-rate community.

In the town where I grew up, we had three public pools for 50,000 people, or one pool for every 16,ooo people or so. Here in Fort Worth, we have 7 for 750,000, or about 1 pool for 100,000.Does this seem like not enough swimming? I think we can do better.

FORT WORTH – Colored lights will illuminate the night sky during a festive block party June 25 when the Avenue of Light on Lancaster Avenue is turned on for the first time.

Avenue of Light, a public art project, consists of six stainless steel sculptures that incorporate energy-efficient LED lights and tower 36 feet high. They’ve been installed along the median from Lamar Street to Main/Commerce Street.

The public is invited to this free party. Speakers will include Mayor Mike Moncrief, Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks, Council Member Joel Burns and the artist, Cliff Garten.

The event begins at 8:30 p.m. at the northeast corner of Lancaster Avenue and Throckmorton Street, where light refreshments will be served. The program starts at 9:00 p.m. with remarks. The sculptures will then become a “canvas” for a color light program lasting about 30 minutes and created especially for the occasion.

Lancaster Avenue will be closed to traffic 8-10 p.m. from Throckmorton to Houston streets. Parking is available two blocks north at the new Fort Worth Convention Center Parking Garage.

The City of Fort Worth’s public art program commissioned Avenue of Light as part of Lancaster Avenue’s reconstruction. The sculptures’ contemporary design was inspired by the nearby Texas & Pacific Terminal’s Art Deco architectural details.

Lancaster Avenue’s reconstruction is a catalyst for future economic development along the corridor. Median landscaping will be part of a future phase of the project.

Avenue of Light will be illuminated nightly from dusk to dawn beginning June 26.

The Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County administers the city’s public art program. Fort Worth Public Art creates an enhanced visual environment for Fort Worth residents, commemorates the city’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity, integrates the design work of artists into the development of the City’s capital infrastructure improvements, and promotes tourism and economic vitality in the city through the artistic design of public spaces. For more information visit www.fwpublicart.org.

From a press release by the City:

FORT WORTH — After the completion of the 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), the City Council was informed today that the city’s financial books are current, verified and in order. The important announcement is a culmination of more than four years of significant improvements to the city’s financial reporting and internal processes.

“Words can’t describe how it feels to know the city is current on its CAFRs,” said Finance Director Lena Ellis. “Now that our financial records have been verified, we can focus clearly on the future to ensure the city’s financial house remains in order.”

In 2005, the Council learned that the city had fallen behind on its annual financial reporting obligations. Because the CAFR is the report card of the city’s financial health and performance to investors, it can greatly influence the city’s cost to sell bonds that pay for major infrastructure and other essential needs.

Now that the city has current audited financial statements, it can sell bonds in the public market at lower interest rates and with better repayment terms. Moreover, it gives the City Council a clear picture of the city’s financial landscape heading into of one of the toughest city budgets in recent history.

“Because of the serious implications to our taxpayers, the CAFRs have remained a top priority for the Council and city management. It’s about accountability and being transparent.” said Councilmember Jungus Jordan, who chairs the city’s Audit and Finance Committee. “A lot of people have put in some extremely long hours away from their families working with antiquated systems to get Fort Worthback on track. On behalf of our citizens, we can’t thank them enough for their commitment to this important mission.”

Mayor Mike Moncrief said the CAFRs have a lot to do with the confidence people have in their city, and he appreciates everyone who was involved in reaching this major milestone.

“This Council and City Manager along with our staff have remained focused on meeting our deadline for this CAFR and getting our financial house in order,” Moncrief said. “We have committed major resources to this effort; and while we still have a lot of work to do, we are well on our way to putting the city back on course when it comes to responsibly accounting for taxpayer dollars.”

Successfully meeting the Council’s goal to have the CAFRs completed by the summer of this year is the result of not only hard work on the part of the City Council and staff, but several organizational changes as well.

The City Council created the Audit and Finance Committee in 2006 to ensure the city’s finances are more accountable to the people. The Fiscal Accountability Committee was formed to improve inter-departmental consistency and communication. And, new leadership, including Assistant City Manager Karen Montgomery and Finance Director Lena Ellis – along with additional certified public accountants and other essential staff – were brought in to add expertise and set a strategic corrective course. Working side by side with the City Council and staff were also teams of outside financial and management experts.

The completion of the 2008 CAFR is not only significant because it brings the city’s financial books current, but also because it’s based on improved internal financial controls. These controls add another line of defense against potential weaknesses in the management of the city’s finances.

To further enhance the city’s ability to accurately and effectively manage its finances going forward, a new automated financial reporting system – known as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system – will be purchased this year and is expected to go live in 2012.

The CAFRs are required each year to detail the financial condition and performance of the city. The reports also reflect the independent auditors’ assurance that the city of Fort Worth has fairly presented its financial position and that all funds are accounted for and verified.