New organization aims to make local community ‘a better place to live’
Published at
AMMON – Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti and other volunteers in the community are hoping to improve the quality of life and make the city a better place to live through a new nonprofit.
Ammon Improvement Alliance, Inc. launched in October and is geared toward raising funds for various improvement projects.
“It’s a nonprofit that’s focused strictly on enhancing the city. What that might mean is bringing community events to the city or bringing money that would help to build a playground the city might not have the budget for,” Coletti tells EastIdahoNews.com. “There’s all kinds of things that could happen with it in the future, and it would be strictly making Ammon a better place to live, work and play.”
The organization’s top priority is getting a new swimming pool. The current one at McCowin Park was built “before we put man on the moon,” Coletti says, and it’s “on its last legs.”
On top of that, it’s an outdoor pool, which means it’s only in operation two or three months out of the year due to weather.
Coletti and others would like to have a year-round swimming pool that’s double the size of the current pool, but making that happen costs money. The idea of raising taxes to pay for it is unappealing to most people so that’s how the Ammon Improvement Alliance can help.
“It cost the city about $29,000 to build that pool,” Coletti says. “Today, we’re talking millions to build the pool that we need. The city isn’t flushed with cash to put that pool in place so we need to find money in a lot of different places.”
RELATED | City of Ammon considering new swimming pool as current facility is 55 years old
Coletti says Idaho Falls has a “deep bench” of groups, events and organizations that provide funding and other resources for the community, including the rotary club, the Civitans, the Idaho Falls Greenbelt Duck Race and more.
During his time as mayor, he’s wanted a community-driven organization that gives back to the community and that got his wheels spinning to create something like this.
He was impressed with the way people contributed money for the $2.2 million stadium at Hillcrest High School and that kind of community support is something he feels can happen for the Ammon City Swimming Pool.
RELATED | Local high school is getting a stadium. Here’s when it will be built
“The Ammon Improvement Alliance will help with that. There are some organizations that don’t give to cities, they have to give to a 501(c)3, and that’s one reason why the alliance was formed,” he says.
Jessica Cardon is one of the board member’s for the alliance. She highlights local businesses through her Youtube series. In the process, she’s developed a positive relationship with many people in the community, including the city of Ammon.
When Coletti approached her about serving on the board, she was happy to get involved.
“We are members of the community and we care about Ammon, so we just want to help contribute (towards) bringing our community together. It’s hard to find money, resources and ideas and we believe we can help with that,” Cardon says.
Coletti is appreciative of all the people who have contributed to community projects in the past, and he’s inviting people to get involved. He welcomes people’s ideas for new amenities they’d like to see in Ammon.
To share ideas or learn more, visit the group’s Facebook page.