Fair Access committee urges county to consider Poolesville pool 'bubble' operating costs amid tight budget

The Fair Access Committee on Tuesday discussed outreach ahead of a county operating-budget listening session and pressed officials to consider operating support for a proposed Poolesville pool "bubble." The committee's chair said the project’s first-year operating costs would be "about 600,000 or $700,000 for the first year" and urged members to continue asking county leaders for support.

The committee reviewed a standard letter it received from the county executive’s office and said the message already has been shared with budget staff and parks personnel. The chair proposed sending a "muster" email in early October to encourage residents to weigh in at the county’s Sept. 15 operating-budget listening session at the Black Rock Center. "Even if there's budget pressure, keep asking," the chair said, urging continued outreach.

Committee members also flagged ongoing operating needs for a community center and reiterated that annual funding streams — including an item the chair described as "WCO's funding" — should be maintained. The chair framed the current budget year as likely to prioritize filling federal funding gaps rather than launching many new county initiatives, but said the group should still press its case.

No formal vote on a funding request was taken; the meeting did approve the August minutes earlier in the discussion and adjourned after finishing logistical event planning. The committee said staff will draft outreach language and members plan to attend the county listening session to present the group’s concerns and priorities.