Janesville City Council restores much of pool cuts
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JANESVILLE — Maybe it was the swim trunks William Hein Jr. wore to the city council chambers Monday that convinced members to restore some of the open swim hours they cut last year to save $15,000.
More likely it was the unusual number of people who urged the council to keep Rockport pool and the city’s wading pools open later at night.
The city will use $6,100 in savings in the leisure services department to keep Rockport pool open two hours later and each of the two wading pools open one hour later each day. The hours should be restored by this weekend.
“I’m absolutely happy,” Hein said after Monday’s meeting.
Councilman Yuri Rashkin predicted last year that residents would protest shorter hours in summer.
Resident Al Lembrich said the council should restore “reasonable hours” so people who work all day could cool down at night.
This is a “quality of life issue,” more so than the more than $100,000 the council recently approved to change the direction of a downtown street, he said.
“Pools and parks provide recreation, rest and relaxation that people need in these busy and stressful times,” Lembrich said. “It’s a real need for lower income and large families who can’t afford higher-priced entertainment.”
About the only discussion among council members was how many hours to restore and at what cost.
A suggestion was made to keep the Palmer Park wading pool open longer than the one at Riverside Park, but several council members said the strong volunteer group at Riverside deserves to have their pool treated equally.
“I don’t want to turn our backs on Riverside Park,” council member Deb Dongarra-Adams said. “This is an absolutely beautiful park.”
City Manager Eric Levitt agreed pools are an important quality of life item. However, the city faces as much as a $2-million gap in its budget in 2012.
The council has consistently opted against reducing the police and fire department budget, which is 60 percent of the budget, he said. That leaves the other 40 percent to absorb all cuts, he said.
Levitt said he would likely suggest another $300,000 cut in administrative costs, including in the city’s recreation department, on top of the $300,000 in cuts in administrative costs last year.
Councilman Russ Steeber said it might also mean people pay more to use the pools, especially because a survey found that cities such as Edgerton charge more for admission to theirs.
Steeber did not say that most pools have more amenities than Janesville’s does.
“The city can’t be everything for everyone at all times,” he said. “I just want people to realize that we may be able to find the money to do it this year—but next year it may cost more for general admission.”
Said Councilman Sam Liebert: “If people think these cuts look bad right now, they haven’t seen anything yet.”
Jul 14, 2011 at 12:48 p.m.
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To clarify my posts, I am glad the city xtended pool hrs. 15k is nothing compared to other nonsense spending "ideas" from the city mgt. in the past a 5mil aquatic ctr. & they want to shut down the pool they already have???
Jul 14, 2011 at 10:53 a.m.
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Bella well said!!!!!!
Jul 14, 2011 at 10:49 a.m.
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So many people in this town have lost the ability to just be happy for the little things. Little things like watching a toddler splash in the wading pool after a long day at daycare, having fun with their parents. Instead of just saying - "I am glad the kids get to enjoy the pool" - some of you have to start whining about your crappy jobs or your crappy finances and basically say "I want everyone to be as freakin' miserable as I am"! I am so sick of it!!!! Can't you just shut up for once and let someone be happy for a minute? We are all struggling in this economy and we're all making cuts in our personal lives. So we find some happiness in the little victories that every once in a while come our way. Keep your negativity to yourself.
Jul 14, 2011 at 10:19 a.m.
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It gets a little tiring of everyone talking doom and gloom all the time. And if you don't agree the same way as them you are insensitive. Sorry but I'm not gonna stop living my life or have my kids sit in the house and twittle their thumbs just because people have lost their jobs. I am gonna give my kids a fun childhood just as my parents did for me and if they enjoy going to the pool they will go to the pool. If I can do this for them then I will. And I am not gonna apologize for being able to that!!!!
Jul 14, 2011 at 10:12 a.m.
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Well then lets just shut down Janesville.
Jul 14, 2011 at 10:01 a.m.
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It's funny those of us that grew up in the 60's had plenty of fun memories and it didn't require a pool. We made our own fun which didn't cost anyone a dime. I think the main problem today is most people are so narcasstic they only worry about their immediate situation. To heck with everyone else. I can't feel that way. When I see people living on the streets here and there are a lot in case you don't know, it is a disgrace. My job too as well as my spouses is on the line the way things are looking. Cutting back on basic city services is not an option when there are other things that can be trimmed. There is no way I would want trash pickup for example cut back or out either causing more unemployment or cutting someone's income to part time. Could any of you survive on pt. time hours with no ins? That is the way things are going now even in the schools. Private health insurance is at least $500 per month for 2 people and that is with a fairly high dedutible and copay. I have been checking for future reference for myself and spouse. Pretty hard to handle on a handful of hours per week. I do not begrudge anyone entertainment when they can get it, but I pay for anything I like to do 100%. Things change according to the times we live in. It may have been doable when the economy was riding high, but unfortunately those days are gone and with it some of the perks we once had.
Jul 14, 2011 at 9:51 a.m.
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"When I read about all of the school jobs that have been lost it is sickening. I personally don't work there, "
So by your logic, even though there are LESS students, due to gm leaving town, we should just keep all those poor teachers on the payroll.even as they are unneeded, so they do not loose their home?
This is the type of thought process that got us in the mess we are in!
The city services should SERVE the public not the public serving unneeded city workers just so they do not "loose their homes"...
Jul 14, 2011 at 9:06 a.m.
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scoobydoo- no paid vacation??? pretty sure all jobs get one week paid vacat after one year.
With the economy the way it is people cannot go on vacat out of town. This is a nice affordable way to go.
Be glad you have a job. My hubby works and gets salary. Pretty sure the 70+ hours a week he works doesn't even out when compared to his salary pay. Glad to still have his job though. Yes he is also a grunt and does others peoples jobs as well because they are lazy and WONT work more than 40 hours a week to get the work done that needs to be done. So when he is done working a dip in a pool would be nice AFTER 5 PM. or even after 7 pm when he may get home because he was at work 14 hours that day vs 12.
I would be okay with every other week garbage pick up so people can get to use the pool.
Again the city penny wise pound foolish.
3 mil ice arena and cut the pool.
What is the attendance of the pool with NORMAL hours???
Also all pools should have the same hours.
Jul 14, 2011 at 8:25 a.m.
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so scooby you are saying we should all stop living and enjoying ourselves because others aren't working? Yes I feel for them but I am not going to stop living and giving my kids some fun childhood memories just because others have lost their jobs. I am glad Janesville has some things my kids can enjoy.
Jul 14, 2011 at 8:02 a.m.
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tpaine09. I work a grunt job 6 days per week and get 1 weekend per year off. I almost guarantee you would not do my job. I am not some pencil pusher. I guess when all lof the unemployed here in Janesville have run out of benefits, savings and health insurance they will have a nice pool to drown themselves in. you need a reality check. I guess you don't watch the news at all. Cities can barely maintain needed services like trash pick up, street repairs, plowing, building maint. Then your big concern is splashing around in a pool. Obviously you are in a job that is not in jeopardy!! Remember no job is safe in this economy. My concern is for people to be able to survive aka make a living, stay in their homes etc. There are pools all over the city in the schools, the Y, health clubs etc. Years ago when this was proposed people that had outdoor pools stood up and said how it was too costly to maintain one in this type of climate and how they dug their own pools out and filled them in due to cost. Once again the big spenders prevailed and gave no regard to common sense and cost. When I read about all of the school jobs that have been lost it is sickening. I personally don't work there, but have the empathy for the people that have lost their jobs there. Basically nowdays when you lose your job it is a death sentence. Read some blogs about people with degrees that have been out of work for years!! If you are over 50 and lose a job forget it you are done. Obviously you are too self absorbed to have any pity for the people thrown into this nightmare that is going on. It is not getting better and as they said will even be worse in 2013. Have fun relaxing in the pool while other people have no health insurance or food or income!!!
Jul 14, 2011 at 2:50 a.m.
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"A pool is NOT a necessity!! Not cutting jobs is much more important than someone's recreation"
I'll take it you are one of those functionless city workers i've been talkin about???
Jul 13, 2011 at 4:02 p.m.
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A pool is NOT a necessity!! Not cutting jobs is much more important than someone's recreation. If you want a pool put one in. It is not the city's responsibilty to provide everyone the entertainment of their choice. Janesville is no longer in the position to afford this money pit! In the past they have talked of cutting essential things like trash pickup, recycling etc. These are the important necessities not fluff. Wake up and get your priorities in order. GM is no longer here to help out the city!!!!!!
Jul 13, 2011 at 3:24 p.m.
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People will appreciate it next week, it's going to be H O T ! !
Jul 13, 2011 at 9:28 a.m.
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"What idiots thought closing a pool in the summer months at 5 would be a good idea"
This is an OLD game cities have been using for YEARS...It starts out by cutting a service that the MASS public will notice like say TRASH COLLECTION etc.. then a public outcry & city mgr/mayor says "the cuts have to be made somewhere" all this in effort to make the taxpayers FEEL good about paying more in taxes..In meantime there are plenty of jobs that could be cut.. when the main employer /gm left town the city should downsize to reflect the reality of the new city but they will fight tooth&nail to keep ALL THEIR JOBS even if they are unnecessary
Jul 12, 2011 at 10:40 p.m.
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Good comments.
Jul 12, 2011 at 9:39 p.m.
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How about cutting unnecessary spending on newsletters than can be accessed via internet or cable tv. There are a lot of ways to cut spending using technology is one of them. Not only do schools waste paper but so does the government and way to much of it.
Jul 12, 2011 at 4:28 p.m.
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frogger - I am with you on this one. I would GLADLY pay a buck or two every time we use the pool; it's worth every penny to see my child having fun in the water on hot summer days! Heck, fix up the parks a little with some decent amenities and charge for a seasonal membership or a daily pass - that would be completely reasonable to me.
Jul 12, 2011 at 4:23 p.m.
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I am annoyed at the term they are using about "extending the hours" like they are heros or something. The term should be "putting the hours back to what they were"
What idiots thought closing a pool in the summer months at 5 would be a good idea. IT is light and hot out until 9. Maybe they should keep it open until 9 like somebody said they used to do a long time ago.
Pretty sure more people swim than skate. You want to save $15k on the pool but willing to spend 3 mil on an ice rink. WHEN will we get some decent people on the council. Seems the only one with a brain is leaving. What are Tom's thoughts on the pool?
We could vote in some smarter people but the choices just are not there to begin with.
Add $1 to addmission if that helps. $1 shouldn't break anybody.
Before the "I cannot afford $1" people start complaining where can you get a whole day of entertainment for so cheap?? You'll just have to sacrifice something you like for your child.
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