SLV Aquatics asks Monte Vista for updated letter of support as pool proposal expands to county-wide district

Jenny Earring, a representative of SLV Aquatics, told the Monte Vista City Council that the nonprofit has revised its service plan for a proposed $24 million aquatic center and is asking the city to provide an updated resolution of support for a filing to the Rio Grande County Board of Commissioners on March 10.

Earring said the new service-area boundary would cover all of Rio Grande County, including Del Norte and South Fork, and remove the exclusions that appeared in an earlier plan. She said the project design remains a two-pool facility (one 6-lane lap pool with a diving well and a second warmer, zero-entry recreational pool) occupying about 23,000 square feet and intended to be sited in the city of Monte Vista.

The revised funding plan described by Earring would ask voters to approve two mill levies totaling 8.5 mills: a 6.5-mill bond levy to finance capital construction and a 2-mill levy dedicated to operating costs. Earring provided an estimated household impact: 8.5 mills would equal about $4.75 per $100,000 of assessed value, which she translated to roughly $11.58 per month for a median Monte Vista home value of $244,000. She said SLV Aquatics expects to solicit foundation and grant support after voter approval and has one $100,000 donation commitment contingent on passage.

Earring told council members the ballot date would be Nov. 4, 2025, and described five ballot questions the district plans to ask voters to approve: (1) form the district, (2) elect a board of directors, (3) authorize the 6.5 mills for bonding/capital, (4) authorize the 2 mills for operations, and (5) authorize debruising (a revenue retention mechanism discussed in the presentation). She described a plan for petition signatures and open houses ahead of the county public hearing and ballot.

Council members asked questions about boundaries, inclusion of agricultural land, election costs, and likely effects on local businesses. Earring said state statute excludes agricultural parcels larger than 40 acres from inclusion in a park-and-rec district and that Del Norte is included because the district does not intend to provide aquatic services that would overlap with Del Norte’s existing park services. She said SLV Aquatics plans to fund the election costs with a separate account (GoSwim) and that fundraising already in that account is about $6,000 with a target of roughly $10,000 for election costs.

Mayor Becker thanked the presenter and moved to table the item to allow council time to review the materials and to consider preparing a resolution of support. Council agreed to table consideration to the next regular meeting (March 6, 2025) and SLV Aquatics requested that, if the council completes a resolution, the city forward it quickly so the group can include it in the service plan submitted to the county on March 10.

Why it matters: If approved by county processes and voters, the proposed district would create a new special district with taxing authority to build and operate a community aquatic facility serving most or all of Rio Grande County. The presentation included cost, boundary, and ballot-timing details that would shape the next statutory steps before voters decide.

Provenance (excerpted): Presentation begins when Jenny Earring introduces herself and the service-plan update and continues through the council’s tabling motion and the request for a rapid turnaround on a resolution of support (presentation started at transcript block ~1382.22; presentation discussion concluded at transcript block ~2425.46).