Piedmont Pool Making Waves (of Delays)

We are all aware that the Piedmont pool project, a civic endeavor that some initially opposed in favor of essential services, has spiraled into a concerning display of mismanagement. Despite a $1.5 million extension granted to consultants, and a “Summer 2025” completion estimate that feels increasingly like a moving target, progress on site remains alarmingly slow. Issues like contaminated soil, underground tanks, and groundwater intrusion — problems that should have been identified early with basic core samples — have directly contributed to costly delays. Even the “winter rain” excuse for project setbacks rings hollow; other regions effectively mitigate such issues with membranes and pumps. The question remains: were such proactive measures even discussed here?

This continuous pattern of delays and escalating costs, coupled with the apparent lack of on-site urgency, points to a deeper issue: a lack of accountability from a City Council that has, in the past, appeared hesitant to challenge its own administrator and staff. The city administrator is squarely in the middle of this debacle, presiding over a project whose projected completion dates have been consistently wrong.

The upcoming July 7th meeting is a critical juncture. It’s time for the City Council to cease its previous patterns of passive oversight and instead act as a strong, demanding owner. They must challenge the administrator’s claims, which have proven inaccurate time and again, and insist on concrete explanations for the repeated failures. The Council needs to demand more frequent, transparent updates and push back forcefully on any further claims for additional costs where alternative solutions weren’t thoroughly explored. Our city’s fiscal health and the successful completion of this project — and the even larger Essential Services Building project on the horizon — depend on the Council finally holding its administration accountable