By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
Despite the best efforts of a group of residents, it appears the Union Pool has seen its last days.
Boone County resident Leslie Kittle presents the case to save the Union Pool at the Oct. 23, Boone County Fiscal Court meeting (photos by Mark Hansel).
The Boone County Fiscal Court listened to a presentation from the group of concerned citizens at its Oct. 23 meeting before voting unanimously to declare the pool as surplus and authorizing the sale and liquidation of all personal property.
The pool’s fate was all but sealed when the fiscal year budget was approved prior to July 1, and funds were only allocated to continue its operation through Labor Day. Still, the Fiscal Court agreed to allow the group to make its case to keep the community resource open for one more year to show how they could help generate more income.
The pool had been originally operated as a private community pool, which was taken over by the YMCA, before the county purchased it in 2002.
Boone County Administrator Jeff Earlywine said prior to the meeting that even at that time, county officials knew that the facility was nearing the end of its life.
“It’s antiquated and the design is obsolete,” Earlywine said. “What we’ve seen is declining attendance and an increasing operating deficit, as well as some deferred maintenance. We’ve done that intentionally, because we just weren’t willing to spend money on an asset that we weren’t sure was going to be a long-term fixture in the county.”
The decision was not made lightly and Earlywine said county officials knew some people would be disappointed.
“Anything is salvageable, depending on how much money you want to invest in it,” Earlywine said. “This pool has given great service for over 40 years and we’ve gotten great mileage out of it. We just felt, we cannot in good faith operate the pool under the current circumstances.”
Max Mingerink, who frequented the Union Pool, passes out a fact sheet to members of the Fiscal Court and county staff at the Oct. 23, meeting.
The Fiscal Court considered other options for the property as well. It commissioned a study in 2017 to determine the feasibility of turning the Union Pool into an aquatic center, to make it competitive with other facilities in the region.
It was estimated that it would cost between $2.5 million and $3 million for that transformation.
“We believe it’s an investment that far exceeds the value of the asset,” Earlywine said. “We can’t recommend the Fiscal Court invest that kind of money in that facility.”
The resolution to declare the pool facility as surplus was initially placed on the Sept. 25 agenda, but the issue was tabled to give supporters an opportunity to gather information and make its case to save the pool.
The group utilized open records requests and worked with county staff and in just a few weeks, presented an alternative solution.
Leslie Kittle, one of those who spoke at the meeting, said an aquatic center is not what Union residents want or need.
A list of suggested repairs that members of a group of concerned citizens said would keep the Union Pool viable, while they worked to improve its long-term future. Click to enlarge.
“We are not here to talk about or debate an aquatic center or the cost of an aquatic center, Kittle said. “We’re here to remove the bells and the whistles and talk only about the Union Pool.”
Mary Groger, a Hebron resident, said part of the challenge in making the proposal was that
some of the pool operating costs were blended with other program expenditures.
“My goal was to try and find a real operating cost and operating revenue for the pool,” Groger said. “I think I came pretty close, keeping in mind that we have some blended expenditures, but we don’t have blended revenues.”
What that meant to her is that the pool was sharing its funds with other programming, but it wasn’t getting any revenue benefits from that.
“I went back three years, but we have some records all the way back to 2012,” Groger said. “Some of the expenses that were found outside of the pool season gave me pause.”
Groger added that some of the expenditures seemed “really high” for some items. She said there were also additional revenue opportunities that might not have been fully explored.
“Summer camp, when it came to Union Pool, didn’t have to pay the pool, whereas it did have to pay the (Florence) Aquatic Center,” Groger said. “Staff had to work those mornings…five lifeguards had to be there, so there was an expenditure that was given to those morning sessions, but no revenue came for that.”
Rather than the $2.7 million needed to turn the pool into an aquatic center, the group suggested cosmetic repairs totaling $47,508. With those repairs, which included a roof membrane and cinder and concrete repair, and an aggressive effort to increase revenues, members believe the life of the pool could be extended.
“The quality of life is important and having a swimming pool, will ensure the quality of life skills and social skills needed for individuals in this community,” Kittle said.
The group asked for the Fiscal Court to delay a decision on the closure of the pool and identified a timeline to implement a plan to demonstrate the pool could remain a viable asset.
Boone County commissioners (l to r) Cathy Flaig, Charles Kenner and Charlie Walton, along with Judge/executive Gary Moore, voted unanimously to declare the Union Pool as surplus at the Oct. 23 meeting.
That included, by March of next year, determining a one-to-five-year plan to identify cost estimates, write grants and assemble volunteers. From March until May it would determine staffing and budget needs with an onsite pool manager, confirm marketing ideas and make another presentation to the Fiscal Court.
Commissioner Cathy Flaig praised the group for their passion and for presenting such an impressive presentation, but explained why the Fiscal Court made its decision. She said all of the commissioners, as well as Judge/executive Gary Moore, visited the site and came to the same conclusion.
“No matter whether we close it this year, next year, or the following year, that pool is worn out,” Flaig said. “We went and looked at it…and it’s had it’s day, I’m afraid. We have to spend money wisely…and the Union Pool serves so very few.”
Commissioners Charles Kenner and Charlie Walton expressed similar sentiments.
“When that pool was built, there really wasn’t anything else in Boone County,” Kenner said. The YMCA (now) services families, they take in the economic questions, they have a sliding scale, that pool is open to the community and the YMCA members. You’ve got the Florence Aquatic Center, which wasn’t available then, and Silverlake – a lot of Boone County families go there – in Erlanger.”
Some in the group felt if the decision to close the pool was made to quickly.
The commissioners said, however, that the plan has been in the works for several years and they actually kept it open this long out of consideration for the families that used it.
“When we got it, it was with the intent that we were going to phase it out,” Kenner said.
Future plans for the property have not yet been determined, but a small cemetery on the grounds will be preserved.
Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com
