Political ineptitude idles pool project in East St. Louis

For over a decade the children of East St. Louis have endured the blistering heat and humidity of summer with no public pool, splash pad or aquatic recreational facility.

However, this summer was to be very different, with the construction of a $8.9 million pool project in Lincoln Park, in the city’s south end.

With a pool, water slides, a splash pad and pool in full view behind a fortress of pad locked chain-link fencing, the community looked forward to its grand opening, just as 100-degree temperatures invaded the St. Louis region.

But to their extreme disappointment, work was halted back in June, when most other area pools were opening for the summer season.

First, it’s always good news when politicians assure us that they’ve not stolen any money, especially when they’ve not yet been accused.

The reasons? Well, that depends on what you believe. The East St. Louis Parks District, led by director Michael Collins, initially said (of the shutdown) that the State of Illinois has frozen funding until the Park District completes an independent audit.

According to the Illinois Department of Commerce, that audit was due back in August 29, 2024. That was nearly a year ago!

Meanwhile, Collins claims that, because of the frozen funds, contractors for the project were sent home until the matter is resolved. His expectation is that the audit will be completed by August 1.

That contradicts a story by Chris Hayes of Fox 2 News, in which contractors claim that it was they who threatened and, ultimately, walked off the job, leaving the project in its current state of incompletion.

And, while I’ve left messages for a status update from Collins, at press time he remains MIA and without further comment.

Yet, East St. Louis City Councilman Courtney Hoffman II, chose to engage in some preemptive butt-coverage, on his Facebook page, assuring citizens that no money has been stolen and that “I’m sure it’s going to be a clean audit” and “I have no doubts we will be swimming soon.”

First, it’s always good news when politicians assure us that they’ve not stolen any money, especially when they’ve not yet been accused.

The question here is how can an audit be nearly one year late and those in charge fail to have the foresight to secure an auditor to ensure that the project stays on schedule?

The other issue is with Hoffman’s certainty that the children “will be swimming soon”. “Soon” is the operative word here because, in less than a month, East St. Louis youth will return to school, missing yet another summer of cool memories at their local pool.

That’s unfortunate for the youth of East St. Louis, who are a shining light, in an otherwise forsaken community, through their championship performances in track, football and basketball. They deserve to have a quality public aquatic facility.

Unfortunately, no amount of promises from “MIA Mike” (a felon convicted of tax evasion and vote fraud back in 2010) or spin from “Councilman Courtney” are reassuring at this juncture. Summer is winding down and their political excuse-making is ramping-up.

It’s poli-tricks as usual on steroids, in East Boogie, and every parent and grandparent of a heat-exhausted child in the East St. Louis should be outraged and remember this pool-free summer the next time that Collins, who is also the East St. Louis Democratic Central Committee Chair, asks you to vote for any of his political cronies and sycophants.