7:30 P.M. Public Hearing on Pool
Mayor Suggs stated it was nice to see people concerned about the issue of the pool. Mayor gave an overview of when the pool was first built to now.  The village purchased the pool in 1992. Counil closed the pool because it has lost approximately $20,000 a year for the past nine years. He has a report on revenue and expenses for the pool for the last nine years.  Russ Schenck mentioned that the Lion Club has supported the pool over the years. They have bought furniture, a new concession stand, and so forth.   He made the motion to close the pool at the January meeting.  He has had no phone calls about closing the pool.  The pool has now become a hazard because kids are breaking into the pool area.  He wants to tear down the pool and make something else out of it.  Carol Lunsford disagrees with this. When she left office, there were plans to get grant money for a bike path and walkway.  She thinks the pool would be an asset and would like to put a park levy on the ballot.  Ron Nisius stated that the pool was a lot of work. The operating cost was high.  Some kids can not get to the pool or their parents can not afford a pass to the YMCA.  The village would have to support the pool by a levy, because operating expenses are too much for council to support a pool.  Greg Thompson stated that his first year on council he went down to the pool.   There was a new filtering system, but it was not operating.  The village was having difficulty hiring people to work. The manager would work 50 plus hours a week. Attendance at the pool was poor.  He had to look at the pool as a business.  It became a financial decision. The village had the opportunity for grants, but still could not continue to fund the pool.  A park levy was put on the ballot.  The levy was badly defeated.  The youth of today are different from the youth in the past.  They have more things to do. They were not going to the pool. The village has alleys and streets that are in need of repair.  The pool is close to the aquifer, so the village is limited on what it can do.  He made the decision to close the pool based on finances.  Rhonda Martin spoke about her years as manager of the pool.  One needed medical forms filled out because parents were not at the pool with their kids.  The pool was used as a babysitting service.  If one has to prioritize, the pool is not on the top of the list.
Citizen #1: The kids learned how to swim at the pool.  Her kids are bored.  The first priority should be kids, not street lights and planters which make the town look nice. The kids should help raise the money, get them involved.  Eaton was talking about closing the their pool.  Don't give up so easily.
Citizen #2: Look at the people on TASC.  Some kids are ready to volunteer. 
Citizen #3: He is new to the community.  He had a friend who bought a pass to the pool, but would not buy another pass. Some of his friends are buying passes to the Farmersville pool.
Brinda Swihart spent a lot of time at the pool.  Her kids were lifeguards and pool managers If you have a clean pool and strict rules, people will come back.  She thinks a levy should be run one more time. She is willing pay money to keep the pool open.  With no pool or grocery store this community is not the same. The pool had good attendance when there were adult aerobics and pool parties, even had volleyball leagues. Why doesn't the village put a levy on again?
Sam Shortes stated that a lot of people put time and work into the pool as well as the lifeguards, volunteers, and managers.  He mentioned that schools put levies on again if they are defeated. He thinks the village should try a levy again. The paper would be willing to help.  He thinks the village needs a campaign to pass the levy.  Mayor Suggs stated that Eaton is considering closing their pool. The pool at Farmersville is in the township, so they can ask the township for help.
Citizen #4 will help support the pool.  Edna Shiverdecker asked about the cost of the pool. Isn't there enough people willing to buy passes year after year. If a levy is passed, the village would have to come back and ask for more money.  She doesn't want to see the pool demolished but people on fixed income can not afford more property taxes.
Citizen #5 moved back into the area. She stated the village needs something for the kids. She had no idea what the levy was for until it failed. She does not think enough information was put out about the levy.  Jerry Carter said that he did not understand what the levy was for.  He has two children who would like to swim.  Athena said her son went to the creek.  She wanted to know why the levy was not called a pool levy.  Kids can get in the Dayton pool free.
Rick Faber stated that the levy went on the ballot as a recreational levy because the Ohio Revised Code stated it had to be called a recreational levy.
Citizen #6 asked if the businesses were asked to help fund the pool. Why don't the Caring Citizens re-form. The pool will deteriorate more.
Citizen #7 stated she raised children and grandchildren at the pool. She bought a pass every year and did not drop off the kids. She stayed with them and enjoyed the pool. She is opposed to bulldozing the pool.  She does not think enough information was put out about the levy.  The village should try the levy again.  Back yard pools are now needing to be repaired.  Lynn Voge states this is a community pool. The "mecca" west of the village is not going to materialize. It takes more to entertain kids today.  The village should find more grant money.  Eric Voge stated that you can count most people who helped with the pool on both hands. One has to look at this as a business.  You can sell passes cheaper, but you don't make more money.  Pass money comes in the first month.  It takes a lot of money to get the pool running again.  Everyone says to get a committee, but when it comes down to it only two people are working.  There is not enough community effort. People show up one meeting, then don't come back. The pool will never make money. You could try to contract it out.