news-record.com

GIBSONVILLE -- The Board of Aldermen and citizens debated on Monday the town's plan to build a gym and whether residents want to pay more taxes to cover the cost.

Alderwoman Veronica Revels asked for the discussion because she is opposed to the project at this time and wants to survey citizens before the town begins building the gym.

"Recreation is a luxury in my opinion,' Revels said. "I think it's not fiscally responsible." She cited a 2006 town survey in which 67 percent of survey participants said they were not willing to pay new taxes to fund a recreation center.

Town Manager Ben Baxley has calculated loan scenarios that show taxes would need to be increased 4 to 5 cents to fund all three planned capital projects: a vehicle storage and shop building for the public works department, estimated at $1.5 million; renovation of the old public works building to create office and storage space for the Parks and Recreation Department and community meeting rooms, estimated at $600,000; and a gym estimated at $800,000.

The town is in the design phases for all three projects. Gibsonville has been offered USDA grants for community facilities that should allow the town to get low-interest loans for the first two projects. However, the money cannot be used on the gym. The Holt Foundation has offered to pay for the gym floor and basketball goals, expected to be about 10 percent of the cost.

A handful of citizens spoke out in favor or against building the gym or asked the town to find other ways to finance the capital projects without raising taxes, such as using the profits the town earns from running two Guilford County parks.

Mike Dupree, director of the town's Parks and Recreation Department, said Gibsonville will have no winter program to offer children and teens without a new gym because the gym in the old Gibsonville Elementary School, which the town has been using for basketball, is falling apart. Guilford County Schools is not planning to renovate it, Dupree said.

Contact Jamie Kennedy Jones at jamie.kennedy@news-record.com or 449-4610.