An ordinance for specifically an "outdoor" pool will be introduced at the weekly Athens City Council meeting, despite residents and some city council members calling for an indoor aquatic center.
Over a year has passed since Athens residents voted to approve a 0.1 percent income tax increase to fund Athens Arts, Parks and Recreation.
After about 14 months, residents still await the one benefit they believed would come from the levy – a new city pool.
And now legislation will be introduced at Tuesday night's city council meeting to authorize the Athens City Auditor Kathy Hecht to borrow up to $500,000 for an "outdoor municipal swimming pool."
That comes after a prolonged discussion at last week's committee meeting.
At the Jan. 11 meeting, Councilwoman Jennifer Cochran, D-At Large, said she would be uncomfortable voting for legislation that would not result in an indoor swimming pool.
Cochran said this opinion comes after talking with and hearing from several residents that expressed their desire to have an aquatic facility open all year.
Last fall, at the Sept. 28 city council meeting, Brandstetter Carroll Inc, an architectural firm, said an indoor pool in the city of Athens would run a deficit of $100,000 each year.
The meeting also had about 10 residents voice their opinions about the future of Athens aquatics. Sara Needler, a local physical therapist, spoke in support of an indoor pool at the meeting.
“I work with people with disabilities every day," Needler said. "I’m just here to support the implementation and consideration of the indoor pool to help these people."
Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward, will be introducing legislation at Tuesday's meeting to make improvements to Franklin Avenue and East State Street.
Papai said the East State Street project will hopefully coincide with the work to be done by the Ohio Department of Transportation on U.S. Highway 33.
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