Plasco Aquatic Center review: commissioners weigh fee increases, partial closures and cost-saving options

City staff presented an operational review of the Plasco Aquatic Center and prompted a multi-hour discussion about how to reduce the center’s subsidy while preserving swim lessons and essential services.

Community Services Director Dennis Nishihara told the commission the city currently spends about $674,630 annually to operate the pool — approximately $465,000 in operations and $208,000 in maintenance — and that projected revenues for the next budget year are around $185,000. Nishihara said those numbers leave the city to subsidize a large portion of the facility’s cost: “whether you're heating your pool, whether you're putting chemicals in the pool, or whether you're putting a lifeguard at the pool… an aquatic center … does not make enough revenue to offset its expenditures,” he said.

Commissioners and the public discussed four broad options staff presented: (1) eliminate the extended season that runs after school resumes; (2) increase user fees and consider higher nonresident fees with discounts for city residents; (3) implement partial closures or modified hours to match attendance patterns; and (4) pursue operational efficiencies such as different propane vendors, solar pool covers, or a longer-term salt-water conversion. Staff recommended keeping core services, particularly swim lessons, but exploring these tools to reduce the city subsidy.

Why it matters: The Plasco Aquatic Center is the region’s primary public pool for a large portion of El Dorado County; staff reported that about 76% of users come from outside the city. Commissioners noted the pool provides lifesaving skills training and community recreation and emphasized protecting swim lessons while reducing operating deficits.

Key figures discussed - Annual operating and maintenance costs: about $674,630 total (operations ~ $465,000; maintenance ~ $208,000). Staff presented these figures as 2024/2025 season totals. - Revenue: 2024 budgeted revenue roughly $222,000; projected revenue for the coming year about $185,000 given recent county funding changes (Nishihara noted the county’s preliminary decision reduced expected support; staff has used an approximate $37,500 figure for a one-time county donation in prior years). - Pool usage in 2024 (examples): 343 swim lesson registrations, 379 lap-swim users, 5,331 point-of-sale drop-in public swims, and about 540 average weekly attendants during peak weeks. - Chemical costs: staff reported roughly $58,466 in pool-chemical purchases in 2024; propane totals discussed in the presentation were approximately $20,145 over the reporting period.

Options under consideration - Eliminate extended season: Staff noted the city runs a 13‑week season although lessons are nine weeks; attendance falls after school starts. Several commissioners supported cutting the extended weeks at the end of the season to reduce costs. - Fee adjustments: Commissioners and the public recommended raising nonresident fees and incrementally increasing resident fees. Nishihara recommended maintaining current fees for the remainder of the fiscal year and considering a larger increase next year; commissioners suggested staged increases and public outreach. Staff noted fee increases require a council decision and a 60-day notice for implementation. - Modified hours and partial closures: Staff and several commissioners recommended aligning open hours and public‑swim offerings to weekly attendance patterns. Data presented showed attendance dropping in the final four weeks of the current operating season. - Operational efficiencies and capital options: Participants suggested reviewing propane contracts, considering solar pool covers to retain heat, investigating salt-water conversion for longer-term savings, and exploring internships to support staffing. Staff said many of these require longer-term study and capital investment.

Public reaction and equity considerations Members of the public urged keeping swim lessons affordable because they are a lifesaving skill for children. Staff confirmed the city’s youth scholarship fund can subsidize lesson fees for low-income families; commissioners noted raising user fees would increase demand on that fund.

Ending Staff will present these options and collected public feedback to the city council (item was noted for the council agenda the following day). Commissioners generally supported exploring staged fee increases, potential elimination of the extended season, targeted partial closures or hours changes, and further study of energy and chemical cost reductions. No binding decisions or fee changes were adopted at the meeting.