County: step up for pool

Often, that money goes to public safety upgrades, such as equipment for the various fire departments. Other projects have enhanced recreational opportunities or boosted economic development prospects.

For 2008, the city of White Salmon has made funding for the city's swimming pool its number one priority. The city is asking the Klickitat County EDA Board for $34,621 to fund badly needed repairs and upgrades for the pool.

Two key points: First, the pool is not only used by White Salmon residents, it is used by kids (and adults, including seniors, for that matter) from all around the region, i.e., Trout Lake, Lyle, Bingen, and elsewhere. Just as our public library is available to people of all ages and from all around the area, the pool is truly a treasure that benefits people for miles around. For that reason alone, the pool grant request deserves to be fully supported by the EDA representatives. Although $34,621 is a bit on the high side for the typical landfill fund request, it is actually a very small price when adding in the reality that people from many communities can and do use White Salmon's pool.

Second, and equally important, the pool needs to be regarded as a project that enhances public safety -- almost in the same category as a new fire truck, for example. That's because many young people have learned how to swim in that pool. There is no way to measure how many lives may have been saved over the years because that pool was there to allow kids to take lessons, learn, and gain confidence in the water. If the pool were not available, many of those youngsters might instead have gone for a swim in the relatively treacherous Columbia River or elsewhere. That is not a very safe (or clean) place for swimming.

Given these factors, the city's EDA request for 2008 is a modest one, and the least the city deserves. After all, White Salmon has borne virtually all the costs to maintain and operate the pool for all these years. It is only fair that other jurisdictions step in to help pay the costs to keep the pool open.

In fact, the White Salmon pool has been around for approximately eight decades, and it is going to need to be replaced at some point soon. It would be a very progressive and forward-looking move for the EDA Board to consider making a substantially larger grant to the city than the requested $34,621 -- and go ahead and start the process of building a new pool in White Salmon.

Given the safety and recreational benefits, it's difficult to imagine a more worthy use of the county's landfill funds.

JB