HUBBARD Official mulls levy to fix pool

The school district operates the community pool.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- School Superintendent James J. Herrholtz says he will likely recommend a levy to fund repairs and maintain the Hubbard Community Pool.
Herrholtz said his position is based on the result of survey taken by the district in which 1,273 city and Hubbard Township residents responded.
Of those, 51 percent said they would support a small permanent levy to pay for repairs and operations.
Herrholtz said he is looking at recommending to the board of education putting a combination levy on the November general election ballot.
For example, he explained, a 1.5-mill issue could be divided between temporary and permanent.
Of the total, 0.5 mill would be temporary for three years to pay for repairs and 1 mill for continued maintenance.
One mill in the district generates $198,000 annually.
"I think it has a good chance of passing," Herrholtz told the school board during its meeting Monday.
The superintendent said he wants to discuss the survey with the district's pool committee and again with the board before making any firm decision.
Although it's a community pool, it's operated by the school district.
Prefer closing it
The survey showed that 27.5 percent would rather see the pool closed permanently and the current 1-mill levy supporting it removed from their property taxes.
The district spends about $200,000 annually to operate the pool. Herrholtz has said the facility is in need of dehumidifiers and a pump, roof repairs and locker-room renovations.
The superintendent told board members that 66 percent of the survey respondents said they never use the pool, and an additional 27 percent said they use it rarely or occasionally.
Nevertheless, 65.8 percent called the pool a community asset; 81 percent said they don't have children in grades three through eight, who are required to take swimming classes; and 63 percent said they support a pool user fee.
yovich@vindy.com