Othello pool to stay closed this summer

OTHELLO — The Othello Community Pool will not be opening this year. The city council voted to keep it closed with a near-unanimous vote during a meeting on Tuesday, May 26.

Randy Gomez, Othello’s Parks and Recreation director, told the council that he had talked to several other cities in Central Washington to find out who was going to open this summer. Only three said they were wanting to try to open: Moses Lake, Connell and Selah.

Finances and the governor’s reopening phases were the two main reasons the city decided to keep the pool closed. Othello Finance Officer Spencer Williams said that the pool always operates with a deficit of approximately $100,000. If Othello were to open the pool, Williams thinks that revenues would not come anywhere near the previously budgeted amounts. While employee hours would also be reduced, the pool would still operate with approximately a $107,000 deficit.

“If we don’t open the pool, we won’t have that loss,” Williams said.

Currently, the pool is still winterized from last fall. If the pool were to open, it would take three weeks and $14,470.67 to get it ready for visitors. As it currently sits, it won’t cost the city anything.

The governor’s reopening plan was the other consideration that played into the decision to keep the pool closed. Currently, Othello and Adams County are in Phase 2, which only allows for gatherings of five people. In Phase 3, gatherings of 50 people are allowed. But it could be mid-July before the county is approved to move to Phase 3. As the pool is scheduled to close for the summer on Aug. 22, it would only be open for five to six weeks.

“It is disappointing,” said Othello Mayor Shawn Logan. “We’ve had a lot of disappointment this year. There has been a lot of change. We’ve made decisions we never thought we were going to have to make.”

Council member Genna Dorrow echoed Logan’s sentiments.

“It is really disappointing to take away one of the few recreational opportunities for the kids for the summer,” Dorrow said. “I get it, but I don’t like it.”

Only one council member, John Erickson, voted against closing the pool.

“I think we should take a look at this in a couple weeks or a week from now,” Erickson said. “We’re taking too much away from the community. We need a shot in the arm right now.”

Rachal Pinkerton may be reached via email at [email protected].