Can the City of Plymouth afford to operate the public pool this summer? No determination has been made, yet it was a hot topic of discussion at the city council meeting Thursday evening. The pool, which is generally open from the last 2 weeks of May until the first 2 weeks of September, has become a significant expense for the city.  An estimate for necessary repairs by Lincoln Equipment Company was approximately 51 thousand dollars, which included a new filtering system and new pumps and motors. The City’s current financial state is becoming more and more of an issue.

Last March, the General Fund held roughly 1 million dollars compared to a current balance of 394 thousand dollars. Pool upkeep and maintenance costs are projected to be 51-thousand. ACRA Director Tracy Towner-Yep approached the Fair Manager to see if he would sell the pool to the City for a bargain price. The offer is being considered. Concerns regarding maintenance were also raised, as the pool requires nearly 35 hours of work a week, roughly the cost of another full time position. Vice Mayor Fordyce had several recommendations, including having someone from the city appear before the Board of Supervisors to request money for the pool, approaching developers and requesting funds, or shutting down the pool for this season until other funding outlets can be determined. Tracy Towner-Yep reminded the council of the Prop 12 money received in 2000 to “reline” the pool. Citizen Gary Colburn stated in public comment that “people pay taxes in order to receive services, the pool is a service.” Councilmember Baldwin recommended that Public Works Director Selby Beck contact pool companies and request bids for necessary repairs. The matter will be discussed further at the next scheduled meeting.