Traverse City News and Events

What's Next For Easling Pool?

Oct. 21, 2016

A partnership between Grand Traverse County and the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA to operate Easling Pool appears poised to continue at least two more years – with a long-term plan for the facility under development.

County Parks & Recreation commissioners approved a two-year contract extension with the YMCA Thursday. The deal calls for the county to pay the YMCA $30,000 in 2017 – a decrease from a $50,000 management fee in 2016 – and continue covering utility and maintenance costs. Between the lower fee and declining utility costs, Parks & Recreation Director Kristine Erickson estimates Easling Pool will cost $74,000 to operate next year – a savings of more than $51,000 from this year.

“I think we’ve come a long way this year with the Y operating the pool,” she says.

Since opening in mid-January, the new Central Y – as the facility is nicknamed – has garnered 250 memberships, representing 337 individuals. Approximately 21,430 visits have been made to the center in the last eight months. That figure is nearly the same as the total 12-month averages from 2012 to 2014.

“There have been no dips, only steady growth, with a large spurt in September,” Erickson says of memberships. The YMCA anticipates memberships to further increase between now and the end of the year, a time the organization describes as “joining season.”

The continuation of the Y’s management of Easling Pool will allow the nonprofit Friends of Easling Pool to move ahead with a capital campaign to refurbish the pool and ensure its long-term sustainability. Using a $5,000 grant from Rotary Charities, the group worked this year with the YMCA and Parks and Recreation staff to create a funding and transition plan for the facility, which was unveiled this week.

The plan outlines four key action steps for the coming years: raising $625,000 in a public capital campaign, "completely refurbishing" the pool with new mechanical systems/air handling equipment/decking/painting, developing a long-term plan to support ongoing maintenance and future capital improvements, and expanding swim programs for school children and seniors to improve community safety.

According to the report, Friends of Easling Pool will establish a campaign cabinet of up to 12 volunteers that will begin contacting grant funders and major donors by the end of the year. The public portion of the capital campaign could begin next spring and continue throughout 2017. Friends of Easling Pool will also work “to develop a long-term financing plan to present to (county officials) within 12 to 18 months’ time.”

The final step to moving the Y agreement forward – and with it, Friends of Easling Pool's plans – will be end-of-year budget reviews by the county commission. Parks and Recreation commissioners’ approval of the contract Thursday followed some shuffling of the agreement between the board and county commissioners, who typically review and give final approval to parks proposals. But after re-checking county bylaws and state statute, Deputy Civil Counsel Christopher Forsyth advised county commissioners that Parks and Recreation has authority under Michigan law to enter into contracts, coordinate facility plans, and administer, maintain and operate recreation facilities.

“Ultimately, the Parks and Recreation commission has the power to enter into a contract with the Y – not the board of commissioners,” Forsyth wrote. Based on his advice, county commissioners opted not to review the YMCA contract at their meeting Wednesday, instead allowing Parks and Recreation to make the final determination Thursday.

Commissioners, however, still retain budgetary power over county departments – and will need to approve allocating funds for the pool each of the next two contract years. County Administrator Tom Menzel says he is "supportive of the concept," but that he reserves "the right to determine if we can afford to supplement the pool (in 2017) based on how our budget turns out."

"If I get to the point of either funding a mandated service or funding the pool, I would recommend to the board that we fulfill our mandated obligations first," says Menzel. "But I sincerely hope it does not come to that."

At least two county commissioners – who also sit on Parks and Recreation – expressed confidence pool operations would be supported during the budget process.

“I think as I am, all of the commissioners have been pleased with the partnership,” said Commissioner Alisa Kroupa. “I think we’re excited to see where it goes.”

Commissioner Christine Maxbauer agreed. “To my mind, the only way – and the best way – to operate a pool in this community is through a partnership with the YMCA,” she said.

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