By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — At least one city councilor is looking to the new year and how it will affect those who used the indoor pool, following the decision in December to close the facility in February and team up with the University of Maine at Presque Isle to use the pool at Gentile Hall for municipal purposes.
Councilor Craig Green took a moment during January’s regular City Council meeting to make a proposal that would help citizens with the cost differential to use UMPI’s pool vs. what it cost to use the PI Indoor Pool.
“I’ve discussed with a number of people who currently use the indoor pool what the fee structure is for UMPI’s facility, which is about twice as expensive. I would like to come up with a scholarship fund of sorts. My recommendation is to use one of our city councilor quarterly checks as a contribution from the seven of us to the Park and Rec Department, so they (citizens utilizing UMPI’s pool) pay the same price as they’ve always paid to give them some transition time,” said Green.
Green said if any money remained in the fund after a certain period, they would “go toward the new Community Center fund-raising efforts.”
City Manager Jim Bennett suggested putting the proposal on the agenda for councilors to consider at a future meeting.
The fee for an adult resident at the indoor pool is $3.75, while UMPI’s fee for an adult day pass is $7. Rates vary for children and senior citizens as well.
In other business, Bennett provided a brief Community Center fund-raising update.
“The Community Center fund-raising group has been working hard for about a year. They really didn’t get started raising money until the last quarter of last year. They ended the year with approximately $299,000 in funds raised for the new facility,” said Bennett.
