Dear Tribune,

A letter to the editor:

Friday's piece on the Floyd County YMCA was much-needed and well done, and the breakout boxes The Tribune offers continue to provide a clear picture in story after story.

But please remember this - the pools aren't going to be YMCA pools - they belong to the city and are available to anyone on a day pass or otherwise. There's nothing discriminatory about that. I once suggested that the city set its day rate at a point somewhere above the break-even costs. That would allow the city to create a number of "free" passes for those struggling to make ends meet, but who require or desire to use the pools.

In addition, businesses, individuals, officeholders and others (maybe even our community newspaper) can purchase bulk passes that can be used promotionally and charitably.

In fact, let me put on the record now that my business will commit to purchasing 100 admissions each year. How we distribute them will be at our discretion, of course, but anyone else who may be concerned with residents being "Priced" out of the use of the city pools will have the same opportunity to join me in subscribing for day passes. And that includes the four council members leading the "shenanigans" (Thanks, Mike Ricke, for that gem!) that threaten this city's advancement.

Randy Smith
Destinations Booksellers
604 E. Spring St.
New Albany, Ind.
(812) 944-5116
ops@destinationsbooksellers.com