Dayton pool idea revived with help of Senator Bryan

DAYTON - The effort to build a public swimming pool in Dayton looks ready to get back into the water after being revived by U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan and Lyon County Commissioner Bob Milz.

Milz last week was named chairman of a committee bringing together county officials and community members to find a way to build a pool at the undeveloped Como Park due west of the Dayton Valley Senior Center and Dayton Library.

Bryan's intervention put Lyon County officials and local "Where's the pool" committee members on the same side. The committee had deemed the cause all but dead in May when county support to build a pool at Como Park evaporated.

County commissioners, including Milz, were uneasy about letting a community group using volunteers and donations build a pool on land the county leases from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Bryan, reading about the committee's surrender in the Nevada Appeal, saw a way around the BLM obstacle and encouraged the county, BLM and "Where's the Pool" contingent to discuss the pool issue.

"The senator was concerned people had incorrect information on the acquisition of BLM property," said Tom Baker, Bryan's rural field representative.

Baker in the past month brought the parties together twice with last week's meeting establishing that Milz would lead the effort to build a pool.

"The county's involvement makes all the difference in the world," said Carol Frazier, who was the "Where's the Pool" committee chairman until it folded in May. "The good news is Bob Milz is chairman because this is the man who was dead set against it before. Having him involved is the difference between a pool and no pool."

Several phone messages were left for Milz but he was not available.

Milz earlier had serious concerns that the county would have to shoulder the costs if the "Where's the Pool" committee efforts fell short. Also, Lyon County Commission Chairman LeRoy Goodman felt uneasy about a pool on land the county did not own.

The BLM sees no obstacles in the county or a public/private venture building a pool on its land.

"From our standpoint a pool could be accommodated," said Chuck Pope, BLM's deputy assistant manager of non-renewable resources.

Baker said Bryan prides himself on helping small Nevada communities.

"He's worked on a number of land issues," Baker said. "The senator has a long history of helping communities acquire property for public use."

The Dayton pool would be only the third public pool in Lyon County. The pools in Fernley and Yerington are funded by special tax districts.