DECATUR — The Decatur city swimming pool will stay open this summer and the required handicapped chair lift will be paid for by a combination of grant money and the generosity of a local business.
City council members voted 4-2 in favor of keeping the pool open after hearing that Mike Mitchell, owner of Ocean Pools and Spas, offered to sell a permanent handicapped chair lift to the city at cost for $2,895.69.
The city has received a grant for $3,000 from the Arkansas Rural Development Commission, which will pay the entire cost of the discounted chair.
New Americans with Disabilities Act regulations required that all public pools have a handicapped chair lift available by March 2012. Initially it was estimated a portable lift would cost more than $6,000, but it was found a permanent lift would cost closer to $4,000. Decatur council members voted not to purchase a lift at the February meeting, essentially closing the pool.
More than 100 community members signed a petition to keep the pool open, and three community members appeared at Monday’s meeting to make an appeal to the council.
Karen Davis told the council that she understood that the pool’s operating expenses represented a large amount of money to serve a handful of kids but pointed out it would benefit children in a small town where there is not much to do who could not afford a pool at their house or to take summer vacations.
“I think the pool would beworth it,” she said, suggesting the community could be involved in fundraisers to help cover operating expenses.
Lifeguard Carter Beggs and his friend Cole Reeves said they would be willing to hold a concert to raise money for the pool’s operating expenses which have been as high as $8,000 to $10,000 in past years.
Council members suggested ways to get more attendance at the pool, including signs leading to the pool and weekly church nights.
“The people who collected the signatures said it was amazing how many people did not know we had a pool,” said mayor Charles Linam.
Councilwoman Gina Holt made a motion to keep the pool open, with a second by Nan McClain.
“As a parent, we need something in this town for our kids,” Holt said.
Council members Holt, McClain, Kim Goble and James Jessen voted in favor of keeping the pool open. Council members David Sutton and Sandy Duncan voted against the motion.
After the meeting, Duncan explained that she voted against reopening the pool because she didn’t feel that enough people use it to justify the expense.
“I want the kids to have the pool, but we can’t take that much of a loss on it,” she said.
Linam told the council he would work with city administrative assistant Kim Wilkins to make sure costs are lower than last year.
“We will do everything in our power to keep the costs down. We’re not going to lose $9,000 again, it’s not going to happen,” Linam said.
Sports, Pages 9 on 04/11/2012