Residents urge city to preserve historic outdoor pool; staff detail leakage, costs and next steps

Several residents used the public‑comment period to press the commission for more information and to urge exploration of repair options rather than immediate removal of the city’s historic outdoor pool.

Nancy Adkins, who identified herself at the meeting, told commissioners it is important to know the pool’s history and asked staff to follow up on safety and senior‑center concerns. Ellen Collins asked the commission to "slow the process down to pave over all those otherwise decommission the pool," and Melanie McGannies requested the contractor reports and asked how the $750,000 repair estimate was calculated.

City Manager Grant Gager and Finance Director Paige Betterhoff responded with technical context. Gager said staff observed a temporary meter reading indicating the pool holds "approximately 210,000 gallons" and that, while the meter was in place, crews had to add "approximately 1,000 gallons an hour" to maintain full level during late May/early June. He cautioned the $750,000 figure previously cited "was not an engineered number" and was a preliminary estimate from equipment vendors. Betterhoff added that the pool typically "brings in about $75,000 of revenue" and noted direct seasonal staffing and supplies run about "$86,000 a year" with chemicals estimated near "$50,000" this year.

Why it matters: residents framed the pool as a community amenity for children and lower‑income families; staff noted long‑term technical and financial constraints. Commissioners said they would revisit detailed numbers in the budget discussion and could add an evaluation to the staff workplan if the commission directs it.

What’s next: staff offered to put an evaluation on the workplan and to provide more detailed historical records and contractor estimates if the commission requests them.