Dear Editor,

The city and county have decided to initiate a study to determine the best option for a new pool. Hopefully the term “study” will not be synonymous with the term “consultant” or thousands of dollars on research.

Thinking with historical and fiscal perspective, our parks and recreation director suggested a new expanded pool in its current location, moving tennis courts to Millennium Park. A study seems appropriate. Frankfort spent a lot of time searching for the best pool option for their community. They succeeded by successfully defining themselves without help of a consultant.

Consultants can be helpful. New perspectives and some suggestions are like nuggets of gold. However, consultants cost money and “the grass will always appear greener and people wiser from the other side of the hill.” However, in addition to bringing different perspectives, can’t consultants also provide convenient “cop outs” for avoiding tough decisions?

A search for Danville’s police chief went outside the community. Thousands of dollars later, the man for the job was found in our own backyard, always there, waiting to be discovered. College athletic recruiters make the same mistake. Even learned theologians understand they find “the nuggets of gold between the lines of the scripture,” always there before their eyes.

In search for the right pool option, hopefully we will listen to our own. A local, unheralded volunteer took initiative, providing a statistical study to inform our EDP president how retirement living could provide hundreds of new jobs and thousands in revenue.

We could pay thousands of dollars on “experts” doing Google searches to tell us what they think. Or we can listen to the advice of someone who grew up in a small Central Kentucky town, who has over 30 years experience in the recreation field, one whose children grew up in the area and who understands the nuances of small town recreational life and could market himself as a high-priced consultant if he elected to define himself as such. Instead, he’s already on our payroll as Parks and Recreation Director.

Yes, “there’s gold (knowledge) in the distant hills.” And it’s in our backyard too.

Randy Gip Graham

Danville