The Sandy City Council approved the formation of a task force to look into the
future of the Olin Y. Bignall Aquatic Center and pool at the Monday, Jan. 20
meeting.

The task force was asked to gather and summarize information regarding
other pools, identify options for continued operations and improvements and
to survey the wants and needs of the community and how to pay for them.

Task force members include Sandy City Councilor Jeremy Pietzold, Chip
Parkinson, Oregon Trail School Board member Dan Thompson, Sandy City
Manager Seth Atkinson, City of Sandy Event Coordinator Carol Cohen,
Tammie Macalevy, Bob Goodward and Ken McKlarty. The task force was
expected to hold its first meeting on Monday, Jan. 27.

The future of the facility has been in question since the Oregon Trail School
District (OTSD) implemented an exit strategy to end its support of the pool at
the Nov. 12, 2013 board meeting. The strategy includes a limit of $400,000 or
through Nov. 30, 2015, whichever comes first.

In a staff report written for the Tuesday, Jan. 14 council workshop, Atkinson
explored some options for the city in taking over the pool operations. One
option Atkinson noted was a special service district, a method used for
operating other area pools, but it might also have a negative impact on the
amount the city collects from property tax.

Atkinson added that an operating levy and a capital levy to fund
improvements, along with increasing some user fees (while offering a discount
for those who live within the city), would be another option. An operating
levy, however, would require renewal by the voters every five years.

“For the most part, we’re not really sure how a levy would be received by the
citizens,” Atkinson said. “We had a pretty big bond passed back when the
school went in and I think people are still reeling from that.”

A third option could be a utility fee to fund a portion of operating expenses not
covered by pool program fees.

“Most pools are subsidized in some form or fashion,” Atkinson said. “It’s rare
that you find a pool that’s self-supporting and can fund building
improvements.”

Bill King, Mayor of Sandy, supports the continued operation of the pool, noting
that he used it for rehabilitation following a motorcycle accident more than 20
years ago, in addition to the numerous people who have learned how to swim
there.

“It’s a life skill our kids need to have,” King said. “There’s no reason for us to
be losing kids to drowning.”

Jeffrey “Chip” Butson, President of the Friends of the Sandy Pool (FOSP), was
pleased to see the city join the efforts to save the pool, while noting the end
result is still unknown.

“It’s one of those deals that’s going to take a lot of work from everybody to
make it work,” Butson said. “I think it’s great that the city is interested in
helping us. I feel really good about it. But there are no guarantees, anything
could happen.”

OTSD Communications Director Julia Monteith confirmed that the district is in
discussion with the city and FOSP about performing a survey, but no further
details were available.