Winter, recession causes cold SCAT in League City

Or, you could say it left SCAT high and dry, at least temporarily.

SCAT, in this case, is the Space City Aquatics Team, in League City, Texas, down in NASA land.

Here's the basics of the team's woes:

The League City-based youth swim club has moved its practices from the public pool in League City to the public pool in Friendswood after the League City city council dropped pool heating expenses from its annual budget.

For the second time in seven years, SCAT purchased a $20,000 heater for the pool in the fall of 2007 under the assumption the city would pay the monthly expenses. Ten months later, the city decided not to renew the agreement during the budget-making process for the current fiscal year.

Then, when SCAT asked to have the heater returned, a League City spokesperson said an item in the Texas Constitution does not allow for the city to give the heater back as a gift. According to the constitution, the swim club must pay fair market price, public information officer Kristi Wyatt said.

Well, Ms. Wyatt, depending on exactly what your mayor, city manager or parks and rec director said orally in discussions with the swim club, there might be a thing called "breach of contract."

But wait, it gets worse. The two sides are also having an issue over pool drain covers. The city then said the club would have to fill a Public Information Act request to get official copies of any correspondence. (The story said FOIA request, but that's federal law not state.)

So, a HUGE thumbs down to League City, Texas and its city staff.