By Lori EhdeDuring their Tuesday meeting, the Pool Commission approved a new contract with Sioux Valley Hospital that would charge $37.50 per hour for physical therapy time in the pool.This will be instead of the $1,000 monthly rate under the current contract.The new rate, effective in January, will come closer to the pool’s actual costs — about $45, according to City Administrator Greg LaFond.It will also be a better deal for the hospital, which currently pays the monthly fee, whether reserved time slots are used or not.The pool is typically reserved 45 to 50 hours per month for therapy at that monthly rate, but it’s actually used for therapy 30 to 35 hours per month, according to Sioux Valley Chief Financial Officer Stan Knobloch."There were times when they have allocated hours for us at the pool, but we weren’t able to use them," Knobloch said.The contract with Sioux Valley will also include scheduling adjustments.Knobloch said therapists currently work with patients at different times of the day. Under the new contract, therapy staff will meet with pool supervisors to block off specific days and hours, which will remain the same."Hopefully this will allow both of us to better utilize the pool," he said. According to pool supervisors Robin Wessels and Samantha Honerman, this will help the pool accommodate its members for other services.Plus, the new contract will allow the pool to be used for other members while therapy is in session, as long as a Medicare patient isn’t in the water."Medicare rules prohibit multi-tasking of the pool, so on days when there are not Medicare patients, we can multi-task," LaFond said.The Rock County Pool and Fitness Center is looking for ways to recoup costs in 2005 after the county and city part ways on the joint venture with the facility.The county and city currently contribute $61,000 to the facility.The county withdrew from the joint powers agreement with the pool after the city terminated its role in joint law enforcement.The Pool Commission’s action was forwarded to the Luverne City Council for approval, but LaFond said it won’t be brought before the Rock County Board for approval, because the pool will be a city-only venture in 2005."This will affect business after the new year when the contract is terminated," he said.County Commissioner Ken Hoime sits on the Pool Commission, and he questioned that protocol."I’m just stating questions for the County Board," he said. "How can you change rates and hours without coming to the joint body?"Rate increase, hour decreaseThe Pool Commission Tuesday adopted its 2005 budget, which includes a 15-percent rate increase for members.There was some discussion about how members would accept a rate increase at the same time the facility is decreasing hours.Wessels and Honerman said they hadn’t heard any complaints, and Pool Commission member Mike Rofshus confirmed that, based on casual conversations he’s had with members.New hours will be Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.The reduction of 16.5 hours per week will save the budget staff time. Two people are on duty through most shifts.Memberships and programsWessels and Honerman presented an update on memberships, which show a slow, steady increase over the past couple of years.To date, there are 914 pool and fitness memberships. Last year there were 793 and in 2002 there were 726.LaFond said one reason for increased memberships is the implementation of new programs and incentives to join.For example, Wessels and Honerman reported that student monthly summer memberships were popular.During the summer, students (13 and younger) could have pool-only memberships for the three months of summer. "That went over extremely well," Honerman said.She said the facility also offers a student monthly and 120-day membership for the pool and fitness center combined. "This membership is available year round and we have had great response to that as well, especially for college kids that are home on breaks," Honerman said.