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La Crosse council rejects $90,000 ARPA interest allocation to reopen Northside Pool
Summary
After extended debate about costs, timing and long-term funding, the La Crosse Common Council voted 5–8 to reject a resolution to appropriate $90,000 in ARPA interest funds to open the Northside Pool for the 2026 season. City staff warned the money would cover only short-term operating costs and could strain other services.
The La Crosse Common Council voted down a proposal to allocate $90,000 in American Rescue Plan Act interest funds to open the Northside Pool for the 2026 season, rejecting the short-term funding measure 5–8 on April 9.
Supporters of the resolution said the appropriation would keep a neighborhood pool open and provide an immediate community amenity. "Is opening the North Side pool aspirational? Yes, it is. Is it the right thing to do? Yes, it is," Councilmember Goggin said, urging the council to use interest earnings to respond to neighborhood requests.
City staff described logistical and budgetary constraints that, they said, made the $90,000 allocation an uncertain fix. "Fifty percent of that cost is an upfront cost before we have the pool have its first swimmer in it," Parks Director Jay Odegaard said, citing chemical contracts, de-winterization, acid washing and pump checks. Odegaard warned the pool’s 25-year-old infrastructure and known leaks could lead to additional unexpected expenses.
Finance Director Hawkins explained the proposal would draw from ARPA interest, a separate account that has accrued roughly half a million dollars in interest from the city's $21.7 million ARPA principal. "Those interest funds do not expire," Hawkins said, and using interest would not directly affect the general fund because the ARPA monies sit in a segregated account. But Hawkins cautioned that while the interest account does not have a statutory expenditure deadline, an appropriation that exceeds available interest would push future expenses back onto the general fund.
Several council members who opposed the measure said $90,000 would not be sufficient to operate the pool through a season and would create a recurring conversation without a long-term plan. "This is a really unfair conversation. I've seen the hope on Facebook and the will of the folks there, but I don't think it's sustainable," Councilmember Newberry said. Councilmember Northwood and others noted the pool had significantly lower usage than other city pools—Odegaard said Northside saw about 3,800 visitors last year compared with roughly 12,000 at Veterans Memorial and 14,000 at Erickson—raising questions about revenue to offset operating costs.
The resolution explicitly stated the funds were for opening and operating the pool and not for capital repairs; staff said that if a catastrophic failure occurred the appropriation would not be refilled. After roughly two hours of questions about staffing, contracts and long-term planning, the motion failed. The Northside Pool will remain closed for the 2026 season absent a new funding solution.
Next steps: Councilmembers and staff discussed alternative approaches, including private fundraising, a formal request to the Board of Park Commissioners for a coordinated donation campaign, and exploring partnerships with the school district and YMCA for longer-term facilities planning that could include indoor pool options. No follow-up vote was scheduled at the meeting.
