Funds for pool tops city's 2008 EDA requests

Every year, the EDA takes a portion of revenue generated by the regional landfill at Roosevelt and makes grants available for projects local community leaders deem most important.

With the deadline for EDA requests coming up in early December, the council decided that trying to get funding for a long list of repairs to the pool was its most pressing need.

City officials estimated the cost of a series of pool improvements, adding sales tax, would be $34,621 -- and that is exactly what the council requested from the EDA committee for 2008.

"It's a pretty good list," explained Mike Wellman, director of the city's Public Works Department. "It doesn't give us a new pool, but it certainly makes the existing one a lot better."

Items on the pool repair/upgrade list were as follows:

new approach ramp stair to mechanical room;

material for mechanical room roof repair;

concrete for deck and pool lip replacement;

pool sealant for repair areas;

NEMA electric box for pool house;

materials to construct ADA accessible pool house entry way;

materials for pool house roof replacement;

boiler replacement;

solar roof panels to complement gas heat generation;

eye wash station for mechanical room;

salt chlorination system;

paint for pool interior; and

lighting replacement for pool house.

"A few of those items are safety issues, and they are good long-term investments to reduce the operational costs of the pool," said council member Timi Keene.

Keene suggested that the cities of Bingen, White Salmon, and Goldendale combine to ask for funds for the city's pool, since kids from all over the region use the facility.

"If all three cities join together and ask for this, it would make a huge impact on the EDA Board and make it more likely to be granted," Keene explained.

With EDA grant money going to the White Salmon Fire Department over the last couple of years, Fire Chief Bill Hunsaker said he too would support making the pool the top priority.

"The Fire Department has made out well the last two years," Hunsaker said. "I think the pool is a good priority."

Bingen-White Salmon Police Chief Bruce Brending added that he too believed the pool was deserving of being the city's top priority for EDA funding.

However, councilor Brad Roberts made a motion to have the pool repairs listed as the city's second priority, with a $12,000 thermal imaging camera for the Fire Department as the top priority.

The motion failed when it did not get a second.

Council member John Mayo agreed that the pool deserved to be the number one priority, but he wanted to include approximately eight highway signs to be listed as a secondary request. Mayo explained that he believes downtown business owners deserve to have roadside signs to help guide tourists to the city.

"I have a plan to create eight different signs on SR 14 and SR 141. These would be directional signs that describe and give direction to the city of White Salmon," Mayo said. "It would help support the continued growth of the downtown business district, and it would not cost a huge amount of money."

Mayo said he believes signs along the highway would make it much easier for regional travelers to find White Salmon. He pegged the cost to design, manufacture, and install the signs at approximately $7,500.

"In this case, a moderate input of funds will have a big impact on the growth and success of the downtown of White Salmon," he explained.

Keene said she thought asking for funding for two projects was unwise.

"You realize that you're really jeopardizing this pool by doing this," Keene said.

"It's always the pool as a hostage," Mayo commented in response.

Mayo's motion was eventually seconded by Keene, however, and when the vote was called, there was a 2-2 tie: Mayo and Keene in support of having the pool as the top priority and the signs second; and Roberts and Susan Gookin -- who wanted the thermal imaging camera first -- opposed.

With the tie, Mayor Francis Gaddis was called upon to be the decider. Gaddis cast his vote to approve Mayo's motion.

"I vote `yes' for the pool," Gaddis said.

"For the amount of investment in downtown, merchants don't feel the city supports them," Mayo said after the vote. "The people who own businesses downtown are investing heavily in the renovation of old buildings and the development of an active and dynamic downtown. Making the signs one of our priorities helps morale. Those signs could really help our businesses by making people aware of what White Salmon has to offer, and where it is."

Shirley Cox, who was at the council meeting, said she believes the costs to maintain the pool should not fall completely on the city of White Salmon's taxpayers. She questioned why Klickitat County did not offer more financial support.

"It's a regional pool, and I don't feel White Salmon should foot the whole bill for it," Cox said. "The bottom line is, the city continues to fund the pool. Why doesn't anybody else step up to fund it?"

Cox pointed out that the county recently donated money to help upgrade a park in neighboring Benton County because it is used by Klickitat County residents. She contended that was not appropriate.

"Our pool is one of the last resources for kids, and not just for kids in White Salmon. The county needs to subsidize the pool. We're entitled to a whole lot more than the county is giving us," Cox said.