Lawrenceburg shortens pool hours, council debates rental rates and pavilion rules

The Lawrenceburg City Council voted March 11 to shorten the city pool’s seasonal hours and authorized staff to continue work on rental pricing and deposit policies.

The presiding official said staff recommended moving pool hours from noon–7 p.m. to noon–6 p.m. for the 2026 season after administrators told the council the final hour was underused and cost more in lifeguard pay than it returned in usage. A council member moved to adopt the change and the motion carried by voice vote.

Council members then debated how to set rental rates and deposit/refund rules for the pool complex, including separate pricing for the splash park and the pool itself. Staff described the current rate structure (for example, the splash park alone was cited as $200 and common full-pool rental brackets discussed were in the $225–$275 range for groups up to 75). Several council members urged a resident discount; one council member proposed maintaining a lower rate for Lawrenceburg residents while increasing fees for out-of-town renters. The presiding official asked staff (Dee) to compile a break-even cost analysis and draft resident, nonprofit and nonresident pricing tiers and proposed deposit/refund language for a future meeting.

"The splash park by itself is $200," said Dee, the staff member handling pool operations, describing how different fees apply to different facility combinations. Dee told the council she could provide a full cost breakdown before the council sets final rates.

Council members also discussed pavilion rentals and noted Indiana Department of Health rules that limit food service in pool and splash-park areas; staff said a past concession-window design no longer meets current public-health requirements. Because of that change, the council asked staff to recommend how pavilion use and food service should be combined or separated during pool season.

For the record, the meeting also approved a one-year community garden agreement described by staff as a hold-harmless contract and authorized the mayor to sign it.

The council made no final decision on pool rental rates at the work session; staff will return with the requested financial breakdown, sample tiered pricing and proposed deposit/refund language at a future regular meeting.

What’s next: Staff will compile rates from comparable regional pools, produce a cost breakdown for lifeguard and maintenance expenses, and bring recommended resident/nonresident/nonprofit pricing and deposit language back to the council for a formal vote.