Final Sun Prairie Pool Plan: "Damn the pool committee; we 7 get to decide things!"

At the Special School Board session on Monday September 17, the net result was "damn the efforts of the Ad Hoc Pool Task Force" and significant changes were made from the recommendations offered by the board appointed Task Force.

Out:

• The warm water exercise pool

SP-EYE note: we think this was a poor decision. A number of community members and seniors would have benefited from a warm-water exercise/rehabilitation pool. This decision virtually ensures a significant loss of potential operating cost-recouping revenue.

Significant changes:

• Increase the pool from 6 to 8 lanes
• Increase bleacher seating from 100 to 300

SP-EYE note: we think this was a poor decision, as well. The Pool Task Force thoroughly researched pools, pool operation, and pool curricula. The committee --by majority consensus-- agreed that a 6-lane pool and seating for 100 was all that was necessary, and the compromise allowed the committee to include the warm-water exercise pool at a reasonable cost.

Undecided:

• Whether or not to lump the pool in with the high school referendum

(Thanks to Mary Ellen Havel-Lang for pointing out that since this was not specifically on the official agenda, no action can be taken during a public meeting. See folks...they CAN learn! There is hope.)

Other notes from the meeting:

• The "pool people" were again out in force, and seemed to exert some influence over this new, kinder & gentler board.
• Sun Prairie resident and knowledgeable pool advocate Keith Miller implored the board and the "pool people" to stick with the plan developed by the Ad Hoc Pool Task Force. He noted that it made sense, was the result of consensus, and met the needs of both the school district and all community residents.
• Board president David Stackhouse disagreed with the final plan, correctly noting that the "pool people" had previously supported the agreement with the YMCA, which would have only afforded us with 6 of the 8 lanes in the 'Y' pool. So why need 8 lanes now?
• Keith Miller noted that most 'Big 8' schools only have 6 lanes pools, and 6 lanes is all that is required to hold WIAA swim meets. He also noted that as a former WIAA pool official, his experience is that only rarely do the number of pool meet spectators even approach 100.