PORT TOWNSEND — The City Council has unanimously approved on first reading a 30-percent increase in public pool fees and for programs.
The action is intended to help defray increases in pool operation costs over the last two years.
“Energy costs have nearly doubled,” Port Townsend City Manager David Timmons told the council on Tuesday.
He said the city’s goal was to maintain existing pool operations until a group of community leaders, known as Make Waves!, can raise funds for a proposed aquatic and recreation center.
The group last week unveiled plans to build the 40,000-square-foot facility at Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park.
Most of the site is owned by the Port of Port Townsend property, while a smaller portion is on Jefferson Transit’s Haines Place Park & Ride.
Only one resident, Leslie Schumann, raised concerns that the fees would hamper youth swimming teams.
Carla Abrams, city activities director, told the council that the rate proposal was intended to raise revenues to keep the pool in operation while not deterring swimmers from using the facility at Mountain View Elementary School.
The pool is on Port Townsend School District property, but the city operates it.
The rate hikes will offset the city’s lease increase and help the city out of a pool budget deficit, Timmons said.
