Shreveport’s “PoolGate” Has Taken a Dark Turn
KEEL NEWS recently broke the story on the City of Shreveport's intentions to break away from the locally owned Rock Solid, and award a new contract for the management and maintenance of the 5 city pools to an Atlanta based pool management company. Rock Solid has managed the city pools for 13 years, Shelly McMillian, CEO of Rock Solid told KEEL NEWS she had no prior knowledge of the forthcoming change, nor did she have any indications of issues or problems with her company management that would initiate a need for a change in management.
Since the announcement, rampant speculation, assertions, and rumors have abounded. Mostly concerning relationships with the current administration, but since none have been confirmed, I won't go into them here. But Shelly recently contacted KEEL NEWS about a very disturbing phone call she received. After her request for all documentation relating to the bidding process, she received an anonymous call telling her if she continues to pursue this or went to the city council, her family is in danger. She told KEEL's Erin McCarty:
I've never been a part of this before! I simply wanted to impact lives and thought about going to the city council meeting next week, but now I won't because my family is more important than pursuing my calling...
State Representative Cedric Glover sent a letter to Mayor Perkins requesting the program, Project Swim be allowed to continue. Project Swim is an initiative that has taught over 18,000 people to swim at no charge, and was started in 2010, after the tragic drowning of 6 local youth in the Red River.
The aftermath of the tragic drownings of the Stewart and Warner children in the Red River in August of 2010 led to the creation of swimming opportunities for a wider cross-section of Shreveport Youth, specifically children who were non-swimmers. As one who has witnessed the full arc of the Project Swim effort, I can assure you that in addition to the overwhelming generosity of the Hertz family, the role of the Rock Solid Foundation has been indispensible to what has been accomplished over the last dozen years.
Because the threat to Shelly came over the telephone, the FBI may become involved.