Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – The idea of SAD 1 taking over The Forum and the Presque Isle Indoor Pool is dead in the water.
At a special SAD 1 board meeting held last Tuesday night, a motion was made for the district to assume the operation of the two facilities but died due to a lack of a second, thereby squashing any future need to discuss the matter. The Presque Isle City Council voted April 21 to request that SAD 1 consider assuming the operation of both the Indoor Pool and The Forum.
“This is fairly unprecedented in that the request is coming from the City Council, not me,” said Superintendent Gehrig Johnson, noting that there would be benefits to taking over the two buildings. “The obvious benefit on the pool is that if we own it, we’d be able to work it into our curriculum and put a couple thousand kids through there and teach them how to swim. We would also be able to increase usage of The Forum by having access to the facility.
“With more and more attention turning to health and wellness,” he said, “we’d be able to teach more life skills to our students, and would have the ability to work with the Central Aroostook Council on Education [CACE] schools.”
Though there wasn’t any representation from the city at the May 6 school board meeting – a fact that frustrated many directors – financial information was shared with the board.
According to Charles Anderson, SAD 1 business manager, the pool has an operating deficit of $223,896, while The Forum’s operating deficit is $215,593.
“That’s a combined deficit of $439,489,” said Anderson. “Heating fuel was budgeted by the city at $2.93 per gallon. We are projecting a cost of $4.50 a gallon. At $4.50, heating costs would be an additional $86,000 and the combined deficit would be about $525,000.
“I think we have a history of maintaining our buildings very well,” he said. “Our sense is that for SAD 1 to get into this, we’d want to do some much needed upgrades on these buildings soon.”
Capital improvements identified by the city of Presque Isle, as well as Dave Sowers, SAD 1 operations supervisor, and Greg Clark of Buck Construction, who consulted on the facility needs, carry a hefty price tag.
“I wouldn’t recommend we do anything unless there was a major upgrade soon,” said Johnson.
Improvements to the pool, which include replacing the boiler and air handling system, resurfacing the pool floor, and replacing the roof system, total $950,000. Upgrades to The Forum, which range from replacing the flooring to paving the parking area, total $478,000.
Anderson said the total in capital improvements would be $1,428,000. Improvements amortized at 5 percent over 20 years would require annual debt service of about $113,000.
“The annual deficit plus debt service would be about $638,000,” he said. “As 1 mill currently raises about $580,000, the additional tax burden would be 1.1 mills.”
Many directors took issue with those figures.
“I can’t afford another mill,” said Brandon Roope. “If someone brought a business plan to me like this, I couldn’t do it. This isn’t part of our mission.”
“I don’t see it being a favorable decision on our part to make a decision for other communities,” said Lori Kenneson. “I think we should stick to our areas of expertise.”
Curtis Culberson agreed.
“While there would be some benefit, I don’t think we’re in the business of running a pool,” he said. “I don’t think we need to be doing that.”
Terry Sandusky also noted there would be benefits to having students learn how to swim, but could see the downside, as well.
“In a way we’re twisting things around to make it a positive,” he said. “With possible employee cuts looming, I can’t see adding 1.1 mills to our district towns. I would need time to talk to my constituents to see what they thought.”
Had the board voted to assume the operation of the facilities, a district referendum would have been held by September giving the residents the final say in the matter.
This isn’t the first time the city has approached SAD 1 hoping the district would take over the pool. The same concept was pitched to the district 10 years ago.
