Crookston council weighs keeping aging indoor pool open as budget shortfall looms

Supporters of the Crookston indoor pool appealed to the City Council on Tuesday as councilors and staff wrestled with a preliminary 2025 budget that could leave the city short if the facility remains open.

"I don't want the pool to close," said John Rasu during public comment, introduced by his father, Matt Rasu, who told the council the pool is valuable to "all of our community" and cited a Change.org petition with more than 1,500 signatures. The park board, he added, is also in favor of keeping the pool open.

Council members and staff reviewed a set of budget options that would either keep the pool operating or omit it from the 2025 operating budget. City finance staff told the council they identified roughly $65,000–$70,000 in near-term savings and reclassifications (including reduced workers' compensation costs and other reallocations), but said an operating choice that keeps the pool open still leaves a remaining shortfall unless the council increases the levy or shifts other funding.

Jeff (city staff) told the council that the operating budget under one option would budget roughly $320,911 for pool operations with a significant deficit when historical utility and repair trends are considered. He cautioned that the operating-only budget being discussed does not set aside funds for future capital needs or reserves.

Safety and capital needs figured prominently in the debate. Jeff disclosed that he had found a signed and sealed August 2023 engineering study that described the indoor aquatic center's structural systems as "in fair to poor condition" and estimated probable rehabilitation costs between $900,000 and $1.2 million. The report recommended addressing corrosion within five years and continuing monitoring; staff described exterior cladding, roof decking and joists showing deterioration that "could eventually lead to lack of adequate strength and stability in the framing."

Pool operations staff, represented in discussion by Jake (the city's pool supervisor), said recent mechanical items had been replaced (actuators, fire panel) and that the city had started addressing urgent maintenance. Jake noted previous work on piping and asbestos remediation and said staff were pursuing quotes for alarm strobes and other items.

Several councilors urged caution. One councilor said funding the pool for another year should include a firm cap for unforeseen catastrophic repairs and suggested that community fundraising groups be asked to commit funds in advance if the council elects to keep the pool open. Others proposed immediate operational changes that could boost revenue or reduce costs—consistent swim hours, differential rates for nonresidents, or higher membership fees—and asked staff to provide more detailed revenue year-to-date figures.

Supporters of keeping the pool emphasized the amenity and equity impacts. One councilor pointed to recent successful community fundraising for amenities (an inclusive playground) as evidence that citizens often step up to support projects that benefit children and families.

Council direction: staff presented six budget scenarios; after discussion council members agreed to move forward preparing conservative options (including at least three scenarios that staff said were in the "realm of possibility" with the new savings identified). Staff said they would bring revised numbers and clarifications to upcoming workshops and the Truth in Taxation process in December. No final vote to close or keep the pool was taken at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will refine revenue figures and departmental line items, confirm cost estimates for identified mechanical and safety items (alarms, strobes, HVAC actuators), and present updated budget scenarios to the council before the December truth-in-taxation hearings.