Stevensville council formalizes pool fees after staff clarifies lesson pricing

The Stevensville Town Council on July 14 adopted Resolution 5-19B to formally document user fees and an explanatory memorandum for the Stevensville swimming pool, resolving confusion about how lesson charges are assessed.

Staff presenter (identified in the transcript as the presenter) told the council that there had been “some confusion over whether it was per person or not,” and said the town’s exhibit now clarifies that group lessons are charged per child for the standard 10-day cohort. “So it's $65 per child for 10 days,” the presenter said, and she said she prepared an exhibit to make the charges and what is included “very plain and clear.” The presenter also described private lessons as one-on-one sessions with a four‑session block that the presenter listed at $100 in the packet.

Council members discussed whether the resolution should change rates or merely document the existing schedule. One council member urged the idea of a lower resident rate and a slightly higher nonresident rate for users who “do not contribute 1 nickel in taxes,” but staff and the chair said any change to fees would require a separate agenda item and budget adjustment.

Members also flagged inconsistencies in the packet’s line items. Council discussion noted differences between the sheet the presenter used and a page in the packet that listed a pool-party hourly rate (discussed as $90) and a separate listing of church-group rates; staff agreed to correct the form so the exhibit and the resolution match and to add the church rates to the document.

A separate operational question emerged about maximum group sizes. A council member said the concern was that groups could try to “put all my kids in the pool at once” to avoid paying multiple group fees. Staff and the chair said group capacity is primarily governed by lifeguard staffing and the pool manager’s scheduling; the council did not impose a formal numeric cap in the resolution but discussed that an amendment could be proposed later if council members want an explicit, council‑set maximum.

A council member moved to adopt Resolution 5-19B, to establish the user fees and attach the explanatory memorandum with the annotated corrections; the motion was seconded by the chair. During the roll call, the clerk/staff read the corrected dollar amounts and the addition of church rates. Councilors Bailey, Butler and Smith each voted “Aye,” and the motion passed 3–0.

The resolution will serve as the town’s formal documentation of pool fees and the accompanying exhibit; council members and staff said operational scheduling and any fee increases would be addressed separately and would require a future agenda and corresponding budget adjustments. The special meeting adjourned following the vote.