The Pool's 2010 / 2011 winter schedule
If a pool enclosure referendum passes in June, then the pool would be tentatively closed from Sept / Oct through the spring 2011. Does anyone happen to know what the CHS swim teams and Seadogs would do next year for swim time?
Tim White
9 comments:
They will probably go back to 9:00pm swim practices at the Academy pool. Another added cost that was probably not figured in to the pool cost
Currently, the BOE pays for the use of the town pool. It's paid to parks and rec but I'm not certain if this amount is included in the revenue figures for the pool.
I suspect we'll be using part of the pool fee budgeted in 2010-2011 for temporary use of the Academy's pool while the permanent enclosure, if approved at referendum, is built.
During last night's BOE meeting the issue of the pool fee came up in a prior policy meeting. Namely, the BOE pays for the use of the town pool while parks and rec does not pay for use of the school facilities.
Dr. Florio explained how the pool fee came to be. Prior to the town pool the BOE budgeted money to rent the Academy pool. When the town pool was built, the previous Town Manager continued to charge the BOE a pool fee in order to "prop up" the pool revenue. According to Dr. Florio, that was the only reason the pool fee.
It's rather interesting that the Town expenses the pool fee to the BOE as part of the education budget but in turn receives the same money from the BOE as revenue. I think it artificially inflates the pool revenue at the expense of the BOE.
Tony Perugini
who cares
If they're going to inflate the pool revenue by the $35 - $50,000 then Park & Rec should be paying fees to the school system. Is the school absorbing the costs of custodians to be there when Park & Rec uses the schools?
I understand that the police dept. uses the school and no custodians are called in. I guess they don't pay a fee either...yet they don't clean up all that well when they leave either. Guess it just depends who you are when it comes to fees.
When the town pool was built, the previous Town Manager continued to charge the BOE a pool fee in order to "prop up" the pool revenue. According to Dr. Florio, that was the only reason the pool fee.
Milone became TM in May 2000. The pool opened in August 2003.
I believe that the Education Department receives fees for parking spaces at Bartlem Park, even though that property is under the auspices of Park & Rec. And what happens when Park & Rec equipment or employees are used to help out the Education Dept and vice versa. I would hate to see departments at odds with each other over silly cross charges from one department to another. It's just not worth the effort.
The pool is unique in that it is budgeted separately from any other budget, unlike most other facilities and services. As long as the pool must meet a "budget", the town cannot and should not "give away" use of the facility. And yes, the BOE number is most certainly included in the revenue numbers for the pool.
"I would hate to see departments at odds with each other over silly cross charges from one department to another. It's just not worth the effort."
Actually, it seems to be worth the effort. If you watched the meeting the BOE stated that after all of the "silly cross charges" are tallied, the BOE is losing out on $50K. That's one teaching position and/or supplementing textbooks and supplies according to Sobol. This figure didn't include the pool fee they said. If education has it's own swim coach staff, etc. what is the pool fee covering? A revenue shortfall.
But what's really silly is how the TM can justify charging education a pool fee simply for the sole purpose of "propping up" the pool revenue. Even sillier is how the superintendent non-chalantly explained it...and supports it.
" And yes, the BOE number is most certainly included in the revenue numbers for the pool."
Prove it.
Time for a detailed top to bottom financial audit of all town financial dealings and activities which is then published for public comment.
Granularity in cost accounting requires time and a budget of its own.
I recall being told that the schools have a certified fire alarm guy on staff. And that he is used to certify town fire alarms periodically, including - somewhat ironically - at the FD.
I'm fairly certain there is no budget transfer of anything happening there. And I suspect that when you get into all the various town/school functions... there's a lot of help that crosses the street... and it probably wouldn't be worth it to try to nail it down on everything... though there may be a wide gap between the school / pool budget transfers and fire alarm testing.
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