Committee says pool operations are taxpayer-subsidized; requests detailed operating-cost comparison

A finance advisory committee member told the Village of Cross Plains panel that a three-year review of pool finances shows the current municipal pool operates at a taxpayer subsidy and recommended a concise benchmark report comparing operating costs with similar pools.

The presenter said the analysis, prepared with Matt Esser, included membership and swim-lesson revenues alongside expenses and concluded "our pool is subsidized by the taxpayers, which every pool, I think, in the state of Wisconsin is" and that the Committee should break out utilities to understand potential savings from measures such as solar or reduced water loss.

Why this matters: Committee members said the feasibility work matters because capital costs alone do not capture recurring operating expenses—staffing, utilities, chemicals and maintenance determine whether a new or rebuilt pool is affordable to open each season. The Committee asked for apples-to-apples comparisons using consistent metrics (square footage, gallons, hours of operation, and staffing) to avoid misleading comparisons with pools that differ in size or schedule.

The Committee asked staff to extract more detailed utility numbers (gas, electric, water and sewer) and to reorganize payroll and benefits line items so part-time wages, retirement and full-time wages are comparable to peer communities. One member suggested linearizing operating cost estimates by pool size (for example, cost per square foot or per gallon) and then applying that baseline to proposed designs.

Staff and Committee members discussed examples from other municipalities, including Spring Green and Middleton, noting differences in amenities, hours and chemical and heating regimes. Committee members also discussed grant and donor strategies as part of a broader funding plan: "their effort is to try to get a huge donor, someone that'll donate, you know, 500,000, a million bucks," a Committee member said, while acknowledging local fundraising can be difficult.

Next steps: The Committee directed Dave (committee staff) to assemble a condensed report that isolates operating expenses, compares peer pools on standardized metrics, and identifies data gaps for the pool subcommittee to finalize design assumptions. The Committee plans to forward that report to Parks & Recreation and the Village Board to inform capital and operating decisions; no final decision on construction or location has been made.

The Committee also discussed siting options and timing, noting Bear Park has been proposed but plans could change as the Village balances library expansion, property sales and capital priorities. The Committee emphasized that a feasibility study must include both capital and sustainable operating models before recommending construction.