This is an open letter to Bill Sanborn, Chairman, Idyllwild Community Center.

Honesty is so important, especially in our public officials. Broken promises breed mistrust and anger. Back in July you made a promise. You repeated your promise several times publically shortly after becoming Chairman.

You would supply the people of Idyllwild the hard facts. You would put a sharp pencil to the project, analyzing and projecting costs of construction and costs of operation. You would do a feasibility study, comparing costs with the population base that must sustain it. And you would make your findings public and open for discussion.

You promised not to do anything else before this was accomplished. Not to proceed until you were sure, and the people of Idyllwild were notified, that a new Community Center was even affordable or possible. Those were your words, your promise in July.

It’s fun imagining — going on virtual tours, viewing pretty pictures of swimming pools. We all want swimming pools, world-class gyms and new auditoriums. But are we all willing to pay for them? And even if we are all willing to pay, are there enough full-time Hill residents to sustain and afford it?

It’s been five months. If you’re still crunching numbers, maybe this project is over your head. Maybe you should pass it on to professionals that have some experience in these matters. And maybe before you start your fundraising campaigns, go back to your original promises, and start counting the cost.

Here’s a few tips: Talk to a few cities that have public indoor pools. Find out monthly water usage. Find out daily maintenance and chemicals (very expensive). Find out about unexpected costs, you must have a contingency budget. And ask them if our small full-time population can sustain it.

Norm Cassen
Pine Cove

Editor’s note: The first Town Crier story about the Idyllwild Commiunity Center committee appeared in the Sept. 8 issue.

At that time, Mr. Sanborn acknowledge they were working on the finanical issues. But recognizing the part-time involvement, it was reported “some issues and questions may remain open for a while.”

The committee has not foresaken these analyses and when they are complete, they will be available to the public, according to Sanborn.