By Sara Quam
At budget time, the Rock County Community Pool and Fitness Center tries to balance the importance of recreation with financial restraints.
The weight of those considerations caused management to ask for more contributions from the county and city.
The actual budget for the center increased by about 5 percent, but revenue hasn't been meeting projections for a few years.
Director Darrell Huiskes and manager Carol Wessels set the next projections more realistically, so more was needed from taxpayers, county and city combined, for $122,048.
The Rock County Board and Luverne City Council voted on the joint budget item Monday, approving it with the exception of County Commissioners Wendell Erickson and Ron Boyenga who voted against it.
Boyenga said the 20-percent increase in the county's contribution is too great a leap for one year. He said he would rather see a rate increase for users or a budget cut.
This year is the first in three that the Pool and Fitness Center has needed a budget increase. The increases are attributed to salary adjustments and insurance increases.
Most elected officials at the meeting agreed that services have come at a good price to consumers.
County Commissioner Ken Hoime said, "There are just some things that are going to cost taxpayers money."
Luverne Mayor Bill Weber said, "There's not a bunch of extra fluff in this budget."
Councilman Alex Frick said that membership fees could be raised more than they have. The last raise was about 5 percent, and that was after years of a steady membership rate. Frick said a possibility of at least keeping up with inflation might help.
Wessels said that makes her nervous because in the past, rate increases have caused some members to quit.
Pool and Fitness Center management has tried to keep membership costs down in order to keep it a true "community" center rather than similar to a private health club.
Summer swims decline
Other area towns have outdoor water parks that attract some former Pool and Fitness Center customers. Pipestone, Brandon and Sioux Falls all have outdoor facilities, and Rock Rapids is planning one for next year.
Luverne's summer pool use has declined in recent years, with this summer's open swim attendance getting 7,299 uses. Past summers have been closer to the 11,500 mark.
Weber said it is important to "make what we have better nine months out of the year" rather than concentrate on what's missing during times when good weather draws other swimmers to outdoor pools. (Outdoor pools are generally open 55 days a year, counting days closed for bad weather.)
Ideally, the Pool and Fitness Center staff would like to include more indoor attractions that would draw families that are seeking water recreation elsewhere. A zero-depth entry has also been discussed for some time, but funds aren't immediately available for these options.
The Center is hoping to keep steady memberships Ñ right now at 848, and of that, nearly 275 are residents outside the city of Luverne. Those memberships bring in a steady stream of revenue that's more stable than the daily passes.
Huiskes and Wessels maintain that recreation is a vital part of the community, and that is something new residents and businesses look for when considering a move.
Wessels said the services provided by the facility's staff are something to be proud of. It is open 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Lifeguards are on duty, and personal trainers are available to members for free.