Tuesday, March 19, 2024

PRSA, city blame rise in minimum wage for higher pool fees

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The Public Recreation Service Area Board, which along with the city of Leavenworth, manages the city pool, is faced with raising fees to offset the increase in the minimum wage. At the March 14 study session, Finance Director Chantell Steiner said 75 percent of all pool employees are at or near minimum wage. State minimum wage rose from $9.47 per hour to $11 per hour. 

“The PRSA Board has met and considered all the ramifications of the wage increase, which was about $1.50 per hour. We’re going to have a return of those same employees with this $1.50 increase. That is what is driving this $10,000 increase over the entire season of the pool,” Steiner said. 

The pool budget this year was designed based on conservative estimate of revenue, Steiner said. Expenditures in 2016 were about the same as 2015. Revenues can fluctuate, Steiner said, due to the weather. 

“We are in a zone and we never know what we’ll get until the season hits us. Right now, the pool is going to having some repairs done before we get operational. We did budget for those repairs. We are anticipating a pretty tight budget, with a possible revenue increase of about $5,000,” Steiner said. “We right in the middle of a $5,000 deficit potentially.”

The PRSA Board went over the budget in great detail and came up with the recommendations, she said. The Board decided to increase the daily fees for both residents and non-residents. 

“A little more weight is being put on the non-resident side, because those are the folks that bring in the daily revenues,” Steiner said. “The locals typically buy season passes. If you want to raise that revenue, you need to look at where the majority of your revenue is coming from, which is daily fees from your visitors.”

Councilman Rich Brinkman suggested charging a fee for children under two, who currently are admitted free to the pool. 

“It would seem to me, the 1-and-a-half year old running around adds much more responsibility to the life guard, which adds to our cost operating the pool,” Brinkman said. 

Councilwoman Sharon Waters, who works at the pool, said the two-year-olds are busy. Councilwoman Margaret Neighbors said she would hate to see that go away because it is more welcoming to young families. 

“The maintenance issue at the pool is very often from that young child,” said Mayor Cheri Kelley Farivar. 

Councilman Elmer Larsen said they should post a sign at the pool that fees are being increased due to the minimum wage requirement. Neighbors said people know that wages are going up. 

“We have returning employees, which means they are experienced and better lifeguards, but they are more expensive as a result of that,” Farivar said. 

Steiner cautioned the council that minimum wage will go up again. 

“The board is planning to go deep in additional meetings. We have one planned for April. There are some major capital improvements for the pool to be completely resurfaced. The board will be coming back to you with more recommendations to assist them,” Steiner said. 

Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.

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