New city pool fees are on the rise

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

HILLIS

The question of how much it will cost to get into the new city pool was answered this week after almost two years of speculation.

Members of the Parks and Recreation Committee established fees slightly higher than initially proposed by committee chairman Bobby Kirby Monday and ultimately decided to establish a dual fee structure for city and county residents.

Although not as expensive as some believed two years ago, implementing new fees means it will cost more overall to swim than it used to and will cost more for a non-city resident to gain access to the $2 million facility than it will for city residents.

Pending any changes, it will cost an adult city resident $4 for daily admission. Aldermen also reduced the age of what is considered a child from age 7 to age 5. Daily admission for city resident children who are 5-and-under and seniors who are 55 was set at $3.

For the non-city resident, the daily adult fee was set at $5, with children 5-and-under and seniors set to pay $4.

Among several ideas discussed, Kirby promoted a slightly less expensive fee structure overall that would have kept rates for city residents the same as in the past. Another idea proposed was a single fee structure for daily admission with a dual fee system proposed for summer passes.

Some officials, however, indicated strong consideration for the quality and expense of the new facility and noted city/county contributions to the project.

Alderman Jimmy Bonner said he did not believe county residents “should get off scot-free,” indicating county property taxpayers have not contributed to the project, prompting other aldermen to agree to a “reasonable” dual fee structure. He also supported slightly higher fees.

“You’ve got something up there you can sell. I don’t recommend at all cutting the rates,” Mayor Royce Davenport added.

“I don’t really have a problem charging a little bit more for the facility that we have,” Alderman Donald Hillis later said.

Committee members also approved fees for summer passes, including setting the fee at $200 for a city family and $75 for a city individual pass and $275 for a non-city family pass and $100 for a non-city individual pass. Alderman also said they would charge a $20 “processing fee” for passes.

For city residents, the daily fee increase for adults represents an approximate 33 percent increase and an estimated 66 percent increase for county residents. In 2001, daily admission was $2.50 and $3 for children/seniors and adults, respectively, and $175 for a summer pass.

New pool fees
McMinnville residents
Adults $4
Children 5-and-under $3
Non-city residents
Adults $5
Children 5-and-under $4