City council considers increasing its contribution to the pool by 50 percent — up to $120,000 per year — Wednesday evening
The Honey Lake Valley Community Pool offers a refreshing activity for all. File photoThe Susanville City Council considers its role in the fate and the future of the Honey Lake Valley Community Pool at its regularly scheduled meeting held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4 at the City Council Chambers, 66 N. Lassen St.
The Honey Lake Valley Recreation Authority says it needs a bigger contribution from both the city of Susanville and Lassen County to support the increasing operating costs of the swimming pool.
Both governmental entities currently contribute $80,000 per year to fund the pool’s operation, and the HLVRA seeks a 50 percent increase from each entity — from $80,000 up to $120,000 per year. The Susanville City Council considers the increase at its Wednesday, Dec. 4 meeting. The Lassen County Board of Supervisors has not yet considered the matter.
Lassen County Administrative Officer Richard and Egan and former Roosevelt Pool Director Tony Jonas shake hands in the Susanville Supermarket parking lot in August 2013 celebrating the Pennies of the Pool donations and the proposal to have the city and the county finance the pool.A decade or so ago, the construction of a new community swimming pool was called the highest priority among the people of Lassen County. Local children let their desires be known and launched the Pennies for The Pool effort and after several years of fundraising, former Lassen County Supervisor Jim Chapman and former Susanville Mayor Brian Wilson put their heads together and hatched a plan to get it done by forming the Honey Lake Valley Recreation Authority to be funded through 15 annual contributions of $200,000 from both the county and the city.
At its Nov. 6, 2013 meeting, the Susanville City Council adopted the JPA and directed staff to include up to $200,000 in funding for the project in its mid-year budget. Councilmembers Brian Wilson, Nicholas McBride and Mayor Rod De Boer voted yes and councilmembers Lino Callegari and Cheryl McDonald voted no.
But when the new JPA discovered it had no credit rating and would be unable to borrow the money to build the pool at a reasonable interest rate, the county and the city each came up with $1.2 million to fund the construction, lowering their yearly contributions from $200,000 to $80,000 — that money to be used to fund the operational costs of the pool.
It was standing room only as the Susanville City Council discussed a joint powers agreement that would create an entity that seeks to build a pool in Susanville.The city took out a loan — secured by the city fire department building — to come up with its share of the construction costs.
According to the staff report for Wednesday’s meeting prepared by Public Works Director Bob Godmam, “Increases to the minimum wage and inflation have had serious impact to the operations of the pool. The HLVRA relies on generous support from the city of Susanville and Lassen County, however the fiscal impacts of the last few years have greatly impacted the HLVRA’s ability to provide recreation services and properly care for the facility.
“The HLVRA board has approved the attached letter (not included in the agenda distributed to the public) and asks for increased funding in the future. Staff also have concerns that the current accounting system for the HLVRA is very cumbersome, so we would ask to change the system so the city does all of the accounting for the HLVRA. Finally, staff is looking for council’s direction about how long they would like the HLVRA agreement to be amended for.”
A group of local dignitaries cut a ribbon to officially open the Honey Lake Valley Community Pool in June 2017.Other items on the agenda
Other items on the agenda include Business from the Floor; the Consent Calendar (minutes from the council’s Nov. 19 special meeting, vendor and payroll warrants, and utility accounts receivable write-offs); New Business (consideration of Resolution No. 24-6384, an agreement with Lance and Patricia Monath for the encroachment of an ADA accessible ramp into North Alley; consideration of Resolution No. 24-6387, approval of the 2025-2039 Airport Capital Improvement Plan; consider waiving first reading and introducing Ordinance No. 24-1047, temporarily suspending the Public Facilities Impact Fee portion of the Susanville Municipal Code for five years); Continuing Business, (consideration of Resolution No. 24-6386 adopting the city’s Procurement policy, and consideration of Resolution No. 24-6388, adopting the city’s Credit Card Policy); Department Reports; and Future Council Items.
The council’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18.
Click here to see the agenda.
