Council will be asked to OK pool fee structure
Two bits? Four bits? Six bits? A dollar?
Discussion about the proposed admission fees for the Wapakoneta Water Park was reminiscent of the school cheer Wednesday night, but no one hollered once the final recommendations were made.
Wapakoneta City Council’s Finance Committee members met with Jack Hayzlett, pool manager, for the third time to finalize what it will cost to attend the city pool in 2021, and determine what — if any — amenities will be added to the facility in an attempt to update the pool’s appeal, especially to local residents.
Hayzlett approached city council during the Jan. 4 meeting with a plan to change the admission schedule to favor residents of the Wapakoneta City School District and add items such as palm trees, a zip line, additional water features and thatch umbrellas to implement more of a beach theme, items that have a preliminary $150,000 price tag attached.
The finance committee was charged with working with Hayzlett to see what was feasible as far as admission and additions.
When it came to admission costs, Hayzlett insisted on input from committee members to determine pricing. His original proposal had divided attendees into Wapakoneta City School District residents and non-residents. Residents younger than 17 would pay $2, or $1 if attending with a parent; that parent/adult pays $4 in admission. A season pass would be available to residents for $50.
Non-residents would pay more: those 17 and younger would pay $6 per visit ($1 more than previous fees) and adults would be charged $8, or $2 more than before. Season memberships for non-residents could be purchased for $100. Hay
JACK HAYZLETT
zlett believes those lower prices unique to school district residents would encourage more local people to frequent the pool more often.
Now, council will be asked to approve a fee schedule that again includes a family pass option. Councilor Ross Kantner said conversations he’s had with residents indicated people appreciated the family pass option.
The proposed 2021 fee structure includes $120 for a four-person family pass, with the option to add additional names for $20 per; $40 for an individual season pass; and $30 for an individual student pass. The gate fee will be $6 for adults and $5 for children.
Committee chairman Chad Doll was insistent the definition of family include a babysitter or child care provider; Hayzlett was asked to provide a definition of family that was perhaps more lenient than in the past.
As far as additions to the waterpark, Hayzlett’s original suggestion was to withdraw $150,000 from the $700,000 that had been invested following the sale of TSC stock to pay for the upgrades he presented.
The waterpark construction was made possible in 2007 when TSC was sold and its stock liquidated. The city had been gifted stock from the Hausshelms Foundation and received approximately $2 million from that sale; $1.3 million of that was used to finance the new waterpark. The remaining proceeds were, by ordinance, invested with the caveat the interest be used for the maintenance of recreational facilities in the city.
That ordinance, Doll said, prevents the capital from being spent, leaving the interest to fund the rec department.
Hayzlett suggested that 2009 ordinance was the “will” of the city councilors at that time and perhaps the current city councilors would feel differently and might consider changing the law.
Instead, both Doll and Kantner favored setting up some kind of investment policy for the pool, where funds are set aside every year to help finance a project or improvement for the waterpark — similar to saving for a new fire truck. Mayor Tom Stinebaugh also indicated Lodging Tax funds may be available once the costs associated with the new parking project at the site of the former Koneta Inn are established.
Doll was also reluctant to commit funds for amenities with the uncertainty of COVID-19 hanging in the air and possibly threatening attendance.
Hayzlett agreed none of the improvement are a necessity; rather, they were part of an effort to generate new interest among local residents to start using the waterpark again.
In fact, Hayzlett said the fee structure won’t likely change the attendance patterns at the pool.
“What’s clear to me is attendance is down,” he said. “Will (the new fee structure) drive people to come to the pool now? I don’t think this will change anything.”