Mayor's view on city pool fees

July 27, 2015

July 27, 2015 To the Editor: Recently there has been a stir considering last year's implementation of a small fee structure at the city pool. It was with great consternation that the city council placed a fee on pool use last year. Prior to this, swimming in the city pool has been free for over 80 years. A few years ago, the Spokesman Review ran an in-depth article concerning small towns and swimming pools. The essence of the study was that towns without pools, or forced to close pools for economic reasons, had higher rates of delinquency and vandalism. Swimming pools are community treasures with advantages beyond recreation and learning to swim. Bonners Ferry's swimming pool has way passed its useful life. It was built in the 1930's as a Federal public works project. It is literally falling apart. Add yearly repairs to growing regulatory demands, to rising costs of everything, and imposing a fee structure because the only viable option is closing the facility permanently. In fiscal year 2014, the first year of fees, the city of Bonners Ferry spent $61,159.83 for operation of the pool. Revenue, which includes private rentals, was $13,786.10. Even with fees, the citizens of the city subsidized the pool to the tune of $48,000.00. The city of Bonners Ferry is only 20% of the county's population and tax base. Yet, we have managed to provide free swimming to everyone for eight decades. A couple of people out there are alive today, and don't even know it, becase they learned to swim at the pool. No one in the city government wants to see anyone denied access due to unaffordability. We are open to suggestions, and working with other agencies for donations. Pur goal is to keep the pool open to all and doing what it takes to make that happen. David Anderson Mayor Bonners Ferry, Idaho