By Sara Quam
The Luverne City Council discussed the Rock County Pool and Fitness Center Tuesday, based on a recommendation from a city-county liaison committee.
Rock County Board Chairman Jane Wildung spoke on behalf of the board. She said that ever since the rate increases for the year were discussed, the community started to look closer at the facility. They wanted to know where their money was going.
She requested that the council approve City Administrator Matt Hylen and County Administrator Kyle Oldre to develop a request for proposal (RFP) to see what other businesses or organizations could do with the facility.
For months, the Pool Commission has discussed the possibility of selling the facility, leasing it or getting new management. The Commission started to consider options in an effort to stop or reduce the city and county contributions from taxpayers.
The county and city jointly own the Pool and Fitness Center, but the city is responsible for management.
Wildung said that getting proposals won’t mean a decision by the city and county or the Pool Commission. It would just help the community know what steps are being taken to either change the way things are being run or to firmly decide to keep things the same.
"I feel that maybe it's time we provide some resources for the city and county to see what else is out there. And in order to do that maybe we could see who’s interested," Wildung said. "We have nothing in black and white now."
After Hylen and Oldre compile an RFP, the city and council will look at it and recommend changes before it is advertised.
Pool and Fitness Center Director Darrell Huiskes said, "I really feel this is a great opportunity for us to talk about what we can do."
He said that after his many years of work at the facility, he may have run out of new ideas. He said an RFP could help illustrate what can or should change and that outside parties responding with proposals could provide valuable research.
Wildung said, "Even if we decide not to change anything, we’ll have some information on expansion, or any other needs. You couldn't pay someone to research all of that for you."
After the January rate increase of 20 percent was announced, the Pool and Fitness Center lost about 100 memberships, but still holds more than 1,000.