A MEETING of Albury-Wodonga pool users on Thursday night will be given four options to consider in response to contractor Aligned Leisure’s bid to defuse tension over planned lane hire fees.
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The O&M Aquatics Action Group met on Wednesday evening to discuss the Richmond Football Club subsidiary’s offer to waive lane fees for this season in return for signing on.
Spokesman Jack Baker said the club and association swimming and water polo representatives had a positive meeting with a lawyer providing advice on options.
“The overwhelming sentiment is that we are not going to take what Aligned Leisure has offered us,” Mr Baker said.
“It’s been said what they have given us is not a negotiation, it’s an ultimatum.
“The people that attended the meeting (with Aligned Leisure on Tuesday night) feel the tactics were to try and get them to make a decision on the spot.”
Mr Baker said Thursday night’s public forum at Albury’s Albion Hotel from 7 o’clock will hear from swimming and water polo figures.
“There will be a panel in front of the meeting that will lay out what our options are,” he said.
“They include taking the offer, not taking it, boycotting the pools starting on Monday and freezing or not signing up to season passes.
“We will get everyone’s general feeling of what they want to do, probably based on a vote, and where people want to go from there.”
Mr Baker expects a bigger attendance than at a public meeting held last Thursday prior to the aquatics group being formed.
However, he said mayors Anna Speedie (Wodonga), Kevin Mack (Albury) and two other councillors would not be attending, citing previous commitments.
“I would be really hopeful we’re going to exceed numbers from last week, there was around 100 from my count, and we would like to pack that room,” Mr Baker said.
“Councillors have been invited and I’ve had apologies from Anna Speedie, Kevin Mack, Darren Cameron and Kat Bennett.”
Mr Baker said no councillors had confirmed their attendance but he is keen for them to come and “shape their own views by hearing from those that use the swimming pools on a regular basis”.
Cr Mack on Wednesday held out hope of a resolution following Tuesday night’s meeting of users and Aligned Leisure.
“Well, one would think that after the discussions last night there's a lot of optimism now and we would hope Aligned Leisure will get the job done,” Cr Mack said.
“That's all we can do at this point….there seems a level of optimism that wasn't there before and I think we'll get it done.”
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