Janesville resident hot as budget cuts force shorter pool hours
Reader poll
Photo
Kaiden Salimas, 5, of Beloit plays on one of the two spouting whales at the Palmer Park Wading Pool.
Photo
Karen Greig throws her daughter Delaney Jaskula, 5, while playing at the Rockport Pool in Janesville.
JANESVILLE — In the heat of the summer, Janesville residents are feeling budget cuts made last fall.
William Hein Jr. was not happy when he discovered the city is opening Rockport Pool an hour later and closing it an hour earlier.
The council last fall shaved the operating hours of the three water facilities by two hours to save $15,000.
Wading pool hours were reduced from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in 2010 to noon to 6 p.m. this year.
Rockport Pool was open from 12:30 to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in 2010 and now closes at 5 p.m. The pool was open from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays but this year is open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday hours are the same as last year—12:30 to 5 p.m.—to accommodate evening swim lessons.
Hein was set to distribute fliers in protest until he talked to council President George Brunner.
Hein said Brunner was “real decent to me,” and Brunner told Hein that Brunner would see what could be done to adjust the hours so the pool could be kept open later in the day.
Hein said he bought a ream of paper and a new ink cartridge just in case.
Eric Levitt, city manager, said the council would face decisions on more reductions to services to balance the 2012 budget.
“Unfortunately, I see even deeper and broader cuts coming in 2012,” he said.
Many cities across the United States are closing their pools, Levitt said.
During budget discussions last year, Councilman Yuri Rashkin urged residents to come to the budget public hearing to protest the cuts in aquatic hours. Nobody showed.
“After all, what is the point of having these facilities and spending money to repair them if we are not going to keep the pools open and fully accessible to the residents?” Rashkin asked at the time.
If nobody shows, “Then the people have spoken,” he said.
Rashkin made a motion to restore the hours at the wading pool at a cost of $6,000. No other council member seconded his motion.
That's about 20 cents per household, Rashkin said.
“This amount surely will seem small in comparison with the disappointment and frustration felt by children and families when, in the middle of the summer, our pools will open later and shut down (earlier),” Rashkin said.
Hein bought a $73 season pass for his family this year because he used Rockport Pool so often last year.
But this year, with the closing time at 5 p.m., his daughter’s boyfriend doesn’t even get home from work in time to go swimming, he said.
“I feel that they can come up with the money somehow,” Hein said.
Since the city must pay to operate the pumps and filters, he doesn’t see how keeping the pool open another two hours a day would make the city go broke.
“As much money as the city spends, it just seems ridiculous to me,” Hein said.
City officials asked Hein where he would suggest finding the money, Hein said.
Hein suggested cutting the hours of the people whose job it is to search out code violations in the Fourth Ward and Look West neighborhoods.
“Why do we need people going to look in people’s back yards to make sure they don’t have junk cars?” he said.
Brunner received two complaints from residents, one of whom included Hein.
Brunner said he, too, is concerned about closing out working people.
Brunner said he would investigate whether public swim could be allowed during lap swim time as it was last year. Lap swim is held after open swim is closed. Fewer lifeguards are required during lap swim, which is why open-swim users are asked to leave this year.
Riverside Wading Pool draws few patrons
The Janesville City Council last year reduced hours at Rockport Pool and the wading pools so the council could keep all three pools open.
“Unfortunately, more than half the time so far this season, Riverside Wading Pool has had fewer than 15 individuals in attendance throughout the day,” said Eric Levitt, city manger.
The council budgeted $44,000 to operate Riverside Wading Pool. Members saved $15,000 by reducing hours at all facilities by two hours.
Attendance numbers show Palmer Wading Pool with the highest percentage of users at 49 percent. Rockport follows with 42 percent and Riverside has 9 percent.
From June 2010 through June 19, 2011, Palmer had 32,450 swimmers; Rockport, 28,184 swimmers; and Riverside, 5,878.
During that period, Palmer Wading Pool was closed for three days for repair, and Riverside Wading Pool was closed for one day.
Friends of Riverside Park pushed to reopen Riverside Wading Pool to draw people to the park.
Group members put in numerous volunteer hours and believe that the wading pool is crucial to the park’s success. Former Councilman Bill Truman championed the reopening of the wading pool, which had been closed because of budget and flooding concerns.
Jun 22, 2011 at 7:31 p.m.
Suggest removal
For the amount of money I spend in taxes, this is ridiculous.
The amount of money this city has wasted has been out of control for way to long,
and what does our city council do? Take it out on the children!
No wonder the kids get in so much trouble these days!
There is nothing constructive for them to do.
I wonder between the city employees, school district employees, county workers, and all the other people with cushy government jobs combined, would make up
the largest employer in town.
Maybe some of these parasites that have been sucking off the teat of the taxpayer
should use the authority of there positions to fire themselves.Then maybe my taxes could go down. Yeah right. The city would just decide "Wow, we have all this free money! How should we spend it?"
Jun 22, 2011 at 5:10 p.m.
Suggest removal
"yet when a viable solution(s) arise to balance the shortfall, you complain even louder."
A "viable" solution would be to lay off functionless city workers community dev./leisure services could loose a few... this will NOT be addressed though.. the city mgr will ONLY cut noticeable services then say "the money has to come from somewhere" these 2 depts have way too many employees
Jun 22, 2011 at 3:37 p.m.
Suggest removal
redrick- really? Staff, lights, pumps,workman comp, lialbility ins, shall I go on???
Jun 22, 2011 at 3:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
I agree stupid. I agree with the 12 but NOT the 5 pm. It is dark and hot until 8:30. You need help with your budget maybe you should ask WASP!
Jun 22, 2011 at 12:30 p.m.
Suggest removal
Ah, the hypocrisy of the typical Janesville resident strikes again. Many of you complain because there is a budget shortfall yet when a viable solution(s) arise to balance the shortfall, you complain even louder.
Jun 22, 2011 at 10:04 a.m.
Suggest removal
I don't think they should close any of them. I think like Wasp said they need to look at EVERTYTHING and see where they can cut more cost. I love Riverside pool. It's peaceful down there. The kids are more respectful than at Palmer, partly because their parents are right there. I hope Riverside does not close. Or maybe the Friends of Riverside could figure something out to keeping to open.
Jun 22, 2011 at 9:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
PBRMan
"If you want to cool down after 5pm, use your garden hose"
I would but.... the city raised the water rates.
hey,maybe i can get one of those water restrictor thingies for my hose!
Jun 22, 2011 at 8:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
Really? $15,000 is all that's being saved to cause this much public outcry? The Council needs to reconsider.
Jun 22, 2011 at 4:45 a.m.
Suggest removal
If you want to cool down after 5pm, use your garden hose. BTW, take that $73 and pay somebody to haul your junk away from your yard......
Jun 22, 2011 at 3:21 a.m.
Suggest removal
possibly a few of the "leisure services" jobs could be cut.. ya know the functionless people w/office space type jobs.. of course the city mgr. will not say a peep about these.. by the way HOW many leisure service jobs are on the city payroll?
nope..it is an old city trick..keep them on the payroll & cut a service that is noticeable..like trash p/up or mowing park.. then say to the taxpayer "the money has to come from somewhere"...
Jun 22, 2011 at 12:01 a.m.
Suggest removal
Again, re: Lions Beach as is once was....
Open swim? Lap swim? Swimming lessons? You can't accommodate all of these in just one small cement pool, for a city this size.
Why not just come do what you want, when you want? There was once plenty of room to do anything when Lions Beach was really open, not just certain things at certain times. Does anyone else remember those days?
It ought to be just "here's the water - jump in".
Jun 21, 2011 at 10:24 p.m.
Suggest removal
I think we should follow Paul Ryan's mantra and issue "vouchers" to all pool users so they can build their own.
Jun 21, 2011 at 9:06 p.m.
Suggest removal
I paid the more expensive cost for a single adult pass which was 38. Now it is cheaper. I'm not complaining. But if the city decides to cut back on the lap swim I will. That is the only reason I got the darn pass to begin with. I wanted to swim laps without getting jumped on by a bunch of kids.
Jun 21, 2011 at 8:44 p.m.
Suggest removal
This does hurt the after-work crowd - after all, who wouldn't like an after-work dip on a hot day, but 5:00 doesn't allow time.
Providing shade would be a good option at the pool too, and not that hard.
Janesville's swimming oportunities took a dive some years back when Lion's Beach was reduced to a mere wading pool... It used to be a great open-water swimming venue but now you can't get more than waist deep. Other communities have no lifeguard/swim-at-your-own-risk beaches.... Why not here??
Actually, I find it odd that municipalities can forbid swimming in public waters at all...
Jun 21, 2011 at 8:31 p.m.
Suggest removal
Close Riverside wading pool. Restore or even expand the hours at the other (2) pools. The city still saves more $ then currently budgeted.
Jun 21, 2011 at 7:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
Janesv...how can you criticize "big corp" for being profit oriented on other blogs (those big bad corps) and then think they should sponsor a free night at the pool?
Jun 21, 2011 at 7:21 p.m.
Suggest removal
OH GOOD LETS TAKE MORE AWAY FROM R KIDS AND I WONDER WHY I LIVE IN THE CITY OF JANESVILLE.
Jun 21, 2011 at 6:53 p.m.
Suggest removal
Close the Riverside wading pool. Rockport and Palmer is enough pool for this town. I am a swimmer and love swimming laps and just swimming for fun at Rockport, but we are in a tough economic time. Cuts must be made. I think we also should cut 2 or 3 police officers and sell the cars too.
Jun 21, 2011 at 6:51 p.m.
Suggest removal
Surely the million dollars wasn't spent to comply with the VGBA. I spent about $12,000 on that, which I could account for six or eight times that for Rockport, but not a million. For that money the pool should be tiled in travertine, and the super energy efficient pumps and heaters should save the 15,000 a year.
Jun 21, 2011 at 6:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
This city is a joke... spend money where no one cares ,and cut money where people need it. I wonder if they hire a consultant firm to do a survey for like $30k to decide if cutting the hours would save them money?
Jun 21, 2011 at 5:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
janesvillean, what did they spend at least a million dollars on? Did they rebuild Rockport pool recently?
Jun 21, 2011 at 5:53 p.m.
Suggest removal
Well doc, that's a shame. I don't pay too much attention to local gov't, (I hear about pet projects like ice arenas, tunnels, etc.) but if they don't take this recession seriously, be proactive, and put some work into it, then the easiest thing to do will be to close doors all over the place.
Jun 21, 2011 at 5:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
Wasp, I have to think they took the simplest way in saving money, we all know they don't actually think it all through and try to streamline anything, too much thought involved doing that.
If they had to think on the pools then people would expect them to think on every decision made and before you know it Janesville wouldn't be spending millions on an ice arena and a skate park, and we can't have that happen now can we....
Jun 21, 2011 at 5:38 p.m.
Suggest removal
Hein bought a $73 season pass for his family this year because he used Rockport Pool so often last year.
But this year, with the closing time at 5 p.m., his daughter’s boyfriend doesn’t even get home from work in time to go swimming, he said.
So his daughter's boyfriend would be considered family? Maybe thats why the pools are struggling to make money, people like Mr. Hein sneaking in NON family members on a family pass without paying, how many others do not pay for the pool that should? I am surprised that the Gazette even printed that in the story, wouldn't one have to think that, hey I might not want to admit I'm taking someone that's not actually family to the pool and having them come on my family pass and then complain about the pool cutting hours because they can't afford to run them as late as before.
If you want to swim for free go swim in the river, they never close!!
Jun 21, 2011 at 4:53 p.m.
Suggest removal
I run a pool. not a janesville public pool, but a pretty large one. With some thought and creativity I was able to cut my costs by 18,000 dollars one year as the economy went south in 2008. No change in hours, no change in guard coverage. Many things can be done to save, if they haven't been done already. I would love to look at the operational budget, staffing schedules and types of chemicals being used, and who the maintenance is contracted with. I am curious if this isn't a knee jerk reaction, and simplest way to cut costs, rather than looking at the entire operation and streamlining it.
Jun 21, 2011 at 4:51 p.m.
Suggest removal
Next, you lefties will claim, "you have a RIGHT to swim".
Jun 21, 2011 at 4:46 p.m.
Suggest removal
Having invested in the facility to the tune of at least a million dollars, it seems foolish to then make it less available. But cutting code enforcement, which many residents have specifically asked the council to provide, is pretty much pulling an unpopular service out of a hat. Who wants Janesville to fill up with junk cars? Only the owners of the junk cars.
.
Fees may need to be adjusted, and perhaps a "friends of the pool(s)" is needed. But one area the council could explore is offering sponsored hours, i.e. "Rockport Pool Summer Evenings, brought to you by BigCorp".
Jun 21, 2011 at 4:31 p.m.
Suggest removal
Too bad about the pools. I was planning on taking my family after work, but I guess we are out of luck since I work till 5. Guess I'll have to take my business elsewhere (like Beloit, or the the Y) Bye Bye revenue, Janesville.
Jun 21, 2011 at 4:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
Pay your taxes to keep the pool open, then pay to get in. But we can't keep it open long enough for people who work to pay taxes to get in after work.
Jun 21, 2011 at 4:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
See folks, this is what happens when you cut taxes, give tax breaks to wealthy people and corporations, ans screw the little guy. Reduced pool hours, less mowing and upkeep at local parks, crappier roads, but all the morons that want this (Republicans) are jumping up and down with glee because of "less government intrusions" and "less wasteful spending!" Yep, we'll see how the "City of Parks" looks in a few years with the "deeper and broader cuts" Eric Levitt is talking about. Keep running us in the ground Republicans, Walker, et al.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.