SEQUIM — The Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center board is seeking $386,100 in Clallam County Opportunity Funds to replace an aging ventilation unit.
The board of the aquatic and exercise center at 610 N. Fifth Ave., known by the acronym of SARC, has filed an application with the Clallam County Economic Development Council.
“That is in process right now,” said county Commissioner Jim McEntire.
Once the Opportunity Fund advisory board makes a recommendation, the panel of three county commissioners will consider whether to fund the request fully or partially.
No date for consideration has been set.
“It will probably come back to us within the month . . . but I don’t know that for certain right now,” McEntire said.
The Sequim City Council will be asked to endorse SARC’s request tonight during a meeting at 6 p.m. at the Sequim Transit Center, 190 W. Cedar St.
“Basically, the recommendation for the City Council is to endorse the use of Opportunity Funds for SARC,” said City Manager Steve Burkett.
“We are simply endorsing their request.”
SARC has Sequim’s only public pool.
The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system — which circulates fresh air into the indoor pool room known as a natatorium — was installed 18 years ago and is on its last legs, according to Frank Pickering, SARC board president.
“It removes air from the natatorium, which is very humid” along with chlorine vapors “and exchanges that with fresh air,” Pickering said.
“You can think of this as a small mobile home. It is not a small little piece of equipment.”
One half of the machine failed last summer, but it was fixed by SARC repairman Burt Cannon who was able to find the $10,000 motor needed.
“Because it was summer time, we were able to keep the pool open,” during the repair by bringing in air with the half of the machine still operating and sending it out of the building through doors propped open, Pickering said.
Cannon has noticed that the other half of the machine is about to fail.
“He started noticing the same kind of problems coming up, but in this case he can’t get to it” to affect repairs, Pickering said.
“We began to worry. If we lose that machine . . . we will end up having to shut the pool down” to comply with the health department due to safety concerns.
The closure could be for as long as six month and would mean that up to 25 part-time aquatic staff employees would be out of a job.
“We would be laying off the entire aquatic staff,” Pickering said.
It would also affect SARC’s budget.
“When our pool is down . . . our revenue drops because people just don’t show up and they don’t tend to buy the passes,” Pickering said.
“That could ruin our entire financial picture,” resulting in all 74 SARC employees being laid off, he said.
If a new HVAC is purchased and installed, the pool would be out of commission for a couple of weeks while the unit is swapped out.
SARC officials expect to run out of funding by December 2016.
To generate new funding, the SARC citizens committee is conducting a petition drive to place a measure to create a metropolitan park district on the Aug. 4 ballot.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
