Commissioners begin exploratory work on restoring Allen Memorial Pool; survey planned

Decatur County commissioners said they have begun exploratory work to determine whether Allen Memorial Pool can be restored or replaced and signaled they will pursue community input and fundraising rather than new taxes.

A commissioner said the county has started investigating the pool site, removed the liner for inspection and formed a small steering team of local stakeholders. The commission plans to distribute a short countywide survey in the coming two weeks to gauge public interest and priorities for a pool project; the county indicated it will keep the survey brief to encourage participation and said the Community Foundation will assist with distribution and analysis.

The commissioner clarified that the work to date is exploratory and that there was no plan to impose new taxes to fund a pool. “I don't wanna see that additional tax added to be able to fund that,” the commissioner said. Commissioners discussed possible funding partners and developer discussions that have produced preliminary cost estimates; no contracts or formal funding commitments were made.

Ending — next steps: The county will release a public survey, continue stakeholder outreach and reconvene the steering committee to analyze options and funding strategies. Commissioners said they expect to keep the public informed as the group collects survey responses and refines cost estimates.