By Lori Ehde
Members of the Pool Commission agreed Tuesday to a 20-percent hike in membership rates at the Rock County Community Pool and Fitness Center.
Their decision serves as a recommendation to the Rock County Board and Luverne City Council, which will take action on the proposal at a joint meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
The recommendation comes in response to a widening gap between expenses and revenues at the facility, which is subsidized equally by city and county tax dollars.
The facility currently receives more than $61,000 from city taxes and $61,000 from county taxes. That subsidy is expected to be more than $72,000 from each taxing entity next year.
Members of the Pool Commission found themselves in hot water earlier this spring when they approved a 50-percent rate hike to try to close the gap.
That decision, which met with 32 canceled memberships, was rescinded when City Council and County Board members didn't approve it.
Tuesday's action followed figures submitted by pool manager Carol Wessels.
She was asked to estimate the outcome of a 20-percent rate hike.
In a letter to the commission, Wessels said the rate increase would result in canceled memberships and ultimately a greater deficit, and she advised against it.
While many of the Pool Commission members said they felt the estimates bordered on a "worst-case scenario," they decided to recommend the increase and hope for the best.
As part of their recommendation, Pool Commission members also agreed that current members locked into year-long contracts would be notified of the upcoming rate hike and would be given 30 days to opt out of their contracts if they opposed the increase.
Meanwhile, commission members agreed to roll up their sleeves at their next meeting and brainstorm for ideas to increase memberships and raise revenue.