Residents to pay more to use pool
Milltown council has yet to decide on exact fee increase
By Nicole C. Vaccaro
Milltown residents can expect to pay more for community pool privileges next season, thanks to a unanimous vote by Borough Council members.
It was concluded at the July 24 meeting that an increase in membership fees would help pay for the 40-year-old facility’s much-needed renovations
Exactly how high these fees will go remains unknown until a council vote next spring so that the borough has enough time to shop around for the best bids; however, Councilman Mike Skarzynski said he expects the final increase will be minimal.
"We’re doing this for all the right reasons, believe me. If we don’t perform these major upgrades now, I’m afraid we won’t have a pool next year," he said. "And we just can’t let that happen. Too many people benefit from and enjoy the facility."
Currently, there are about 1,500 out of 7,000 borough residents who have memberships at the pool.
"That’s a decent percentage," Skarzynski said. "And that number doesn’t even include the first-aiders who use the pool for basic certification courses."
In addition to the fee increase, Councilman Thomas Buck recommended the borough offer a limited number of memberships to out-of-town residents, so as to help raise additional money.
While the council agreed to consider this idea, Skarzynski voiced opposition.
"I was against this when it was first explored four years ago," he said. "The residents disapproved then, saying they valued their sense of community and didn’t want it disrupted, and I’m fairly certain they’d feel the same way today."
"With a small fee increase, I really don’t see this step as being necessary," he added.
This year, a family of four paid $200 for unlimited use of the pool, which averages only a little more than $14 a week for the 14 weeks from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Renovations will begin with the installation of a new subsurface drainage system and new piping to carry water from the filtration system to the pool.
A new concrete bottom, overlaying a gravel stone bed, will be added to cover most of the existing pool’s floor.
Additionally, the construction of a ramp will allow the elderly and people with disabilities easier access to the pool.
A wading area will also be added to the main pool, as well as a 50-meter-long racing area with lap lanes and a meter diving board.
"We’d love for our children to be able to compete against other towns in swimming and diving competitions," Skarzynski said.
"And, if time and money permit, we may even put in a slide for the kids," he added. "We really want this to be a top-notch facility that everyone can enjoy and take pride in."
Borough Administrator Richard Rydstrom agreed with Skarzynski that these improvements are badly needed and will be greatly appreciated by the residents when completed.
Furthermore, he believes that by making these changes now, the borough will be able to save time and money in the future.
Rydstrom confirmed that the borough typically spends approximately $45,000 each spring on maintenance of the pool alone.
"Besides saving this money, we also anticipate gaining another $31,000 in revenue each year by increasing membership fees," he added.
Council members have calculated they will need to pay $87,000 a year for 15 years to cover the principal and interest on the debt.
Unused municipal bonds in the amount of $855,000 will most likely be used toward financing the project, $300,000 of which was previously bonded three years ago for the pools new filtration system, according to officials.