Buying YMCA property is unwise choice

I’m writing in response to an article on the health department looking at the YMCA building. I’m confused on why anyone with any business sense would purchase a proven failure, as the YMCA, at the expense of the taxpayer.

I would think the money in reserve would go to assisting people’s medical concerns, not to buy property. It seems that we, the taxpayer, would have a say so in this decision.

Yet, we have a non-elected board, that taxes us when ever they choose, while hoarding it up to spend on any frivolous item they choose. I would think this is clearly a case of “Taxation without Representation.”

I also think there should be a limit on the amount that is allowed in reserve. This is proof that we are being overtaxed by the health department.

Why not use this reserve money to aid the elderly getting their medicine? Or supply all free services at the health department for the public. This is what this reserve money should be used for, not to bail out a bank on a bad deal on a bad loan.

This board needs to be held accountable to someone for wasteful spending and taxation. The taxpayers in Clark County are totally against this frivolous spending of out tax dollars.

It seems the health department board has ‘’more money than sense (cents).” Hopefully, Henry Branham and Daniel Konstantopoulos, the only two members representing the taxpayer, will put a stop to this unwise choice.

Mary Haggard 

Winchester 

Editor’s note: The following letter to the editor has been revised to meet our word count guidelines and to remove statements of which the facts could not be easily proved. 

Health department doesn’t need more real estate  at expense of taxpayers

Here we go again! Four years ago, in 2013, the health department wanted to buy the YMCA property. At that time, our elected city and county officials also looked at the property potential and found it not beneficial to purchase. Yet, our health department director and his board seem to be obsessed with this poorly-located property that is in disrepair in the back of a subdivision and again trying to burden the taxpayers by purchasing the property and spending unknown amounts of tax dollars to make it usable.

And what is the great potential Mr. Lockard and the health board see that no one else has figured out? This property was sold at public auction and because of the lack of interest in the bidders, the bank holding the mortgage had to buy it back to protect their loan.

Now, this unelected health board wants to spend our tax dollars and buy this property that no one else wants. It is my understanding that the only two elected board members are Judge-Executive Henry Branham and Magistrate Daniel Konstantopoulos.

Taxpayers, this is our tax money they want to spend to buy this money pit. The health department is run on our taxes. Shouldn’t we have a say in how our taxes are spent rather than by some unelected board? What about taxation without representation?

Instead of purchasing this white elephant money pit, why not reduce everyone’s tax rate for the health department — wouldn’t that be a new way of thinking?

We, as taxpayers, deserve to know answers before this money pit proposal becomes a taxpayer problem with increasing taxes. Some questions I have are: How much real estate does the health department already own? I know of property owned on Professional Avenue, Shoppers Drive and the Bypass already. Wouldn’t this property also be taken off the property tax rolls if the health department purchases, which requires other taxpayers to shoulder the additional tax burden?

Since the health department has a lot of surplus money to spend, how much capital and surplus money does the health department have in reserve?

Since the property is poorly located and is in bad condition with the exception of the gym, how much will it cost taxpayers to repair and maintain it each year?

What will be the health benefits to the citizens of Clark County by the purchase?

I hope others will also be asking questions before it is too late. Even better, would be to ur our local press seek answers to these questions and many others and publish the responses.

This property has failed for years and since when is the health department into making/spending money from real estate that no one obviously wants or needs?

I, for one, do not want my tax dollars spent on this money pit. It is time for the taxpayers to take a stand, speak up and say we have had enough.

John Ginter

Winchester