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McMinnville budget committee weighs $147,000 to keep Aquatic Center open Wednesdays
Summary
Finance staff presented a balanced FY 2026–27 general fund and proposed reserves; parks staff warned state pool‑code changes require more lifeguards and recommended a $147,000 add‑back to avoid closing the pool on Wednesdays. Public comment urged the committee to restore service for youth programming.
The McMinnville budget committee reviewed the proposed FY 2026–27 budget and heard department presentations Wednesday evening, with a central decision looming: whether to restore aquatic center service on Wednesdays at an estimated $147,000 in staffing costs.
Finance Director Katie Henry told the committee the proposal is balanced on operating revenue and expenses, showing a modest net of $135,049 and proposed reserves of about $6.3 million, or roughly 2.6 months of operating expenses. Henry also disclosed how the city will treat state revenue sharing: “We are proposing to put all of that towards the deferred maintenance,” but she cautioned, “the state shared revenue is nowhere near $1,000,000 — it’s in the $435,000 range.”
The committee then heard Parks & Recreation and Aquatic Center staff. Aquatic Center Manager Josh Reusser said a recent Oregon Health Authority code change requires formal surveillance breaks for lifeguards and a headguard on deck, which has increased staffing needs. Reusser said the pool currently manages by using some full‑time staff and recent hires, but maintaining the standard without reducing service would require additional part‑time FTEs. He specified the cost to reopen Wednesdays and maintain current service at about $147,000 and described operational impacts if the add‑back is not funded.
Committee members pressed for detail on FTE calculations and alternatives — including whether management staff could continue to cover headguard duties or whether a smaller add‑back could restore partial service. HR Director Vicky Hedges and Finance Director Henry said they would compile more granular FTE scenarios if the committee wanted to consider partial restorations. Several councilors said they would look for trade‑offs or cuts elsewhere rather than dipping into reserves.
During public comment, resident Courtney Martin said the aquatic center is a “critical community asset” for swim clubs and youth programming and urged the committee to “approve a budget that adds sufficient staffing to maintain current pool operations and community access.”
The budget committee paused deliberations to continue department presentations and scheduled further discussion on Thursday; the proposed budget will go to the City Council after this committee process. The committee also received staff direction to provide more precise FTE estimates for different reopening scenarios so members can weigh funding trade‑offs at a later meeting.
