Sean C. Morgan
The District 55 School Board voted unanimously Monday night to place a local option levy on the May ballot to pay for the swimming pool.
The two-year local option levy would impose a property tax of 32 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation throughout School District 55 fall under the education property tax limits of $5 per $1,000 of real market valuation. It would not affect the local police and library levies.
The proposed levy would raise an estimated $97,000 to keep the pool open for the next couple of years.
About two years ago, one of the options for the School District to save money was to eliminate the swimming pool, said Bruce Davis, president of the Sweet Home Swim Club and a member of the aquatics district committee. The community expressed a lot of interest in keeping it open.
Over the past year, it has operated on minimal funding while the committee explored the idea of creating an aquatics district.
But that would have caused a huge impact on the city’s police and library tax revenues, Davis said, and a smaller impact to the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
“We decided to back burner the whole idea and move on to another option,” Davis said.
The committee is seeking a two-year levy in hopes that will get the pool through the tough times, said Jim Yon, a member of the aquatics committee.
With the $97,000 would be another $35,000 in fees when the pool is open full time, Yon said. The Swim Club would donate an additional $3,000.
Adjustments or new charges for lifeguard fees could cover remaining operational expenses in the proposed pool program, about $33,000.
Board members Kevin Burger and Billie Weber were reluctant to support a motion to put the levy before voters.
“I think we’ve got enough taxes right now,” Burger said.
Weber said she didn’t like paying the lifeguards when there are students who would enjoy volunteering to lifeguard.
Burger also indicated he was concerned about whether east Linn County residents would be able to use the pool.
“It will be open all day long,” said Junia Calhoon, aquatics director. “That will be exciting to me.”
Davis told Weber that employees have to be paid, and switching lifeguards to volunteer would violate federal law.
“If they’re working, you have to pay them,” Davis said.
“It does nothing but put it on the ballot,” board member Mike E. Adams said.
Voting for to submit the levy request to voters were Adams, Weber, Chanz Keeney, Dale Keene, Jason Redick, David VanDerlip, Jenny Daniels and Burger. Mike Reynolds was absent.
In other business, the board:
n Approved the retirement of Marsha Carper, sixth grade at Holley, effective Jan. 1, and approved a post-retirement agreement for the remainder of the school year.
n Hired Kerstin Brosterhous as temporary business teacher at Sweet Home High School.