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Signal Mountain council approves amended MOA with Green Giant swim team, sets fee at $1,500 for 2025 season
Summary
After public comments from swim-team leaders, the council approved a one-year memorandum of agreement giving the Green Giant swim team priority pool use and set a $1,500 fee for 2025, down from a staff-recommended $2,500.
The Signal Mountain Town Council on April 14 approved a one-year memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Green Giant swim team that gives the team priority use of town pool facilities and sets the 2025 fee at $1,500.
The approval followed public comments from Andrea Holmes, who identified herself as president of the Green Giant Swim Club, and Carrie Callahan, a Green Giant board member and Signal Mountain property owner. Holmes told the council the swim team had paid $1,000 for years and learned only weeks ago that staff planned to raise the annual MOA fee to $2,500. “We were pretty caught off guard by 150% increase,” Holmes said, asking the council to delay or lower the increase to allow the team time to plan.
The MOA language presented to the council left the dollar figure blank so council members could set the first-year amount. Several council members said they supported a smaller increase this year with clearer, earlier annual notice going forward. Councilmember Charlie moved to amend the MOA to set the fee at $1,500 for the coming year; that amended motion passed without recorded opposition.
Council and staff discussion addressed why fees rose: a March study and a separate pay-scale decision for lifeguards increased operating costs, and the town recently invested in pool upgrades and maintenance. Council members said the town spent roughly $700,000 on pool upgrades and maintenance this past year and that some increase in league MOA fees across all leagues is likely in coming years. Staff and council agreed future MOA negotiations and fee guidance should begin months earlier so leagues can budget and schedule.
Speakers at the meeting noted that league registration typically opens April 1 and that the Green Giants could not finalize participant numbers before the council set a fee; Holmes said the team expects about 250 swimmers in a typical season and listed team registration fees from the prior year (for example, $200 for a first athlete). Councilmembers and staff encouraged the swim team to attend Parks and Recreation Board meetings and offered help with targeted fundraising to cover shortfalls.
The MOA approved is for one year; councilmembers said the town will use public-works guidance and annual review to set or phase fee increases in future MOAs so increases are gradual and communicated earlier.
The council approved the amended MOA during the April 14 meeting and directed staff to finalize the agreement with the $1,500 fee and return contract paperwork to the town as appropriate.
