Responds to concerns on swimming pool fees

June 26, 2015

June 25, 2015 To the Editor: Regarding Larry Bauer's letter concerning the city pool fees: I can appreciate that a price increase from free to $10 for a city resident over a four year period may seem like a lot, however it was certainly not without notice, by any means. The fee increase was discussed at several City Council meetings, notices were posted in the Herald before the increases went into effect, and fee increase meetings were held for the public to give comment. The reason for implementing a fee (and the subsequent fee increases) is due to the fact that, as Mr. Bauer correctly noted, we live in an area that is economically depressed, and the city could not continue to afford the pool's upkeep. Even with the increased fees, the pool will likely operate at a loss and have to be subsidized out of the general fund. Our city unfortunately has a lot of aging infrastructure and a limited budget, which means hard decisions have to made when it comes to what it can and can't afford. In this case the choices were closing the pool or charging a small fee in order to offset some of the costs associated with keeping it open. The cost to replace the pool heater was estimated at $10,000; additionally, there are upgrades that need to be made in order to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It would have been fiscally irresponsible to keep the pool open without a fee, and I think that the council made the best decision that they could have, under the circumstances. If you compare the fee to what other pools charge, I think you'd find it is more then a reasonable and fair amount, as are the wages paid to the lifeguards. I encourage Mr. Bauer to attend City Council meetings, especially if he has not done so. They are held the first and third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Agenda and minutes of previous council meetings can be found on the city's website, as well as notices for things such as budget workshops, fee increases, etc. The best way to be informed is to be involved, and attending council meetings is an excellent place to start. Sincerely, Jessica Tingley