By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
Deciding that Burlington residents value the quality of life benefits of a new community pool, the City Council on Tuesday voted to send the matter to a Nov. 8 referendum after learning estimates for the cost of the project have increased.
On Tuesday morning, estimates for the pool and all associated costs came in at $5.7 million – higher than the $4.7 million originally estimated for the referendum to pay for the project.
The Council voted to move forward with the referendum Tuesday night, with optimism the number would come in lower than that, and that residents appreciate the value of a community pool.
In fact, by the end of Tuesday’s informational session for City Council, Community Pool Board and city Park Board members, the council agreed to set that ceiling at $5.4 million for referendum purposes, and continue working to bring the number lower.
The city is pursuing a Nov. 8 referendum, which will pose the non-binding question of whether or not the city should move forward with tearing down the old pool and building a new one.
The cost per $1,000 of property value is currently at 46 cents, which was calculated based of the $5.7 million original number, not the revised number.
Recalculating for the lower amount would mean about an additional $79 on the average city property value of $179,000.
The current pool has outlived its usefulness, and the council and Pool Board have decided that further repairs or rebuilding the pool to its current specifications won’t solve the issue.
The new pool will feature a number of different features, including a zero-depth entry, multiple slides, a diving well, a current channel for water walking and a children’s water playground area.
The number from Ayres and Associates – the company handling the design, management and preparation of the pool referendum – came in higher than expected, but optimism remained high Tuesday night.
When asked what would happen if the referendum failed, Pool Board member Bob Prailes, a former alderman, said he didn’t think the referendum would fail.
“I think it’s too important to the community,” he said.
Other shared that perspective.
“From my perspective, it gets to the quality of life in the community,” said Council President Tom Vos, who presided over Tuesday’s meetings in the absence of Mayor Jeannie Hefty.
But, he said, City of Burlington voters will make the ultimate decision.
“If the general consensus is that a great number of people would like to see a more enhanced pool, then they have to be willing to pay for it,” he said.
Council members at Tuesday night’s meeting agreed that education of the public would be key.
“I think we need to present all the actual information to the citizens, so they know what the annual impact will be to them,” said Alderman John Ekes.
Alderman Bob Grandi, who is the council representative to the Pool Board, said he’s seen a great deal of enthusiasm for fundraising so far.
“I think (the referendum) will be embraced by the community and it will pass,” Grandi said.
Alderman Tom Preusker said a failed referendum wouldn’t necessarily indicate a lack of support for a pool.
“It just means we might need to go outside the city to get it,” he said, alluding to donations and potential 501-C3 non-profits to raise funds for building a new pool.
A pool management plan pending completion by Ayres is expected to indicate how much it will take to run the pool each year, with fundraisers and the pool board covering annual maintenance costs.
Throughout the process, city officials have said the goal is to have the pool self-sustaining, as it has largely been the past 50 years.
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