Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

This is a cut and paste article from this weekend?’s Southeast Messenger. As we can see the Village of Groveport spends over three quarters of Million on just the operations of their large facilities. Also we should consider that Groveport was one of the first Rec. Centers on this side of town. To keep their costs as low as they are now they are recruiting to surrounding communities that don?’t have similar facilities. However Obetz is wanting to build a ?“top of the line?” facility and we have heard of others contemplating the same thing. I would think Groveport?’s numbers will go into the tank once they start to feel the competition from other pools and Rec. Centers. Even with drawing customers from all over the area they are still spending more than I think Pickerington should even consider.

Groveport subsidies improve

(by Rick Palsgrove, Southeast Editor - February 23, 2008)

Groveport's recreational facilities are slowly making financial inroads towards reducing the amount the village government pays in subsidizing their operations.

At Groveport Village Council's Feb. 19 committee of the whole meeting, Village Administrator Jon Crusey reported that the 67,000 square foot, $12.5 million recreation center, which opened in January 2004, has steadily reduced its operating subsidy over the past three years to ''a low of $164,646 in 2007.''

In 2005 the village subsidy to help operate the recreation center was $289,941 and in 2006 it was $232,995.

''The subsidy reduction is attributable to an increase in revenue via memberships and a leveling off of expenditures,'' noted Crusey, adding that the $164,646 figure is ''considerably lower than the estimated subsidy of $400,000 that was expected when the facility first opened. The rec center staff has done a tremendous job of increasing memberships and keeping costs down.''

''Our goal when it (the rec center) opened was to be out of subsidizing the facility four or five years down the road,'' said Councilman Ed Rarey. ''I hope we continue to work towards that.''

The subsidy for the Groveport Aquatic Center, which opened in 2003, has fluctuated over the past three years. In 2005 the village subsidy was $155,585. It dropped to $20,268 in 2006, but rose to $89,636 in 2007.

Crusey said the outdoor aquatic center is subject to the whims of the weather, which affects its revenues.

Councilwoman Jean Ann Hilbert still saw a positive sign in the aquatic center's finances noting that its numbers are better than the ones put up by the old pool on Hendron Road.

The Links at Groveport golf course on Richardson Road is struggling more financially than the recreation center and aquatic center, but plans are being made to increase the course's revenues and reduce its costs.

The village subsidies for The Links have been $246,330 in 2005; $427,395 in 2006; and $498,183 in
2007. The village purchased the 79-year-old golf course in 2004.

''There's a lot of competition in the golf course business,'' said Crusey as he outlined several proposals to enhance revenue for The Links including: adding more leagues (revenue is estimated at $6,000 per additional league); revise holiday and weekend tee times at eight minute intervals which adds an additional 10 tee times per day; pursue more golf outings; and offer discounted rates on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8-10:30 a.m. to increase play in what are the slowest times of the week for the course.

Math Lesson

So using this information and your comments, the Pickerington pool cost 5% of the Groveport pool. So you are saying it is safe to assume that the Pickerington pool's operating expense will also be 5% of Groveport's. That puts us $12,500 a year.

I think we can sell enough tickets to cover that.

It is refreshing that of the 15,000 or so residents of Pickerington that this anonymous poster is the only one against it.

bad numbers

Although I am confident that the cost to operate the swim club will be less than the groveport aquatic center, and the cost will be covered by the membership or pass fees, it will no way be near 12,500 dollars.

We operate a small neighborhood pool as a non profit corp, and it takes over $60,000 per year to cover our costs for a small four lane pool with diving well and about 180 family memberships give or take.

We use volunteer labor to ready the pool and make needed repairs and any profits we earn go right back into the facility. The costs are employee labor during the season, chemicals and supplies, any taxes etc for the operation of the pool during the season only. Since all the start up labor is donated time, I would think the city would have an extra cost there if they pay city employees to open the pool or hire a firm to do this. This can be a huge cost, one most non profits would never take on nor could they if they wanted to survive.

I think the cost to operate the swim club is considerably higher as it is a much larger facility with more employees and more chemical electric etc etc, it also has a much larger membership to support the operation.

Real Cost

Isn't the real cost of the pool to the City of Pickerington = Cost of the pool (use operating vs. purchase price, if it makes you feel better) / # of Pickerington families using the Swim Club?

They have access to the membership list. Exactly how many Pickerington Families had a Swim Club membership last year?

Then you need to decide if that warrents the expense. I don't think the fact that the ownership has changed would make me join, but maybe there are enough current members to make sense.

By Terry Clark