Carthage council approves emergency increase to municipal pool gate and rental fees

The Carthage City Council approved an emergency ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into an amended contract with Fair Acres Family Y to raise municipal pool gate and rental fees, a move the Y said is needed to cover higher operating costs.

Jonathan Roberts, CEO of the Fair Acres Family Y, told the council the Y’s pool contract signed in 2023 assumed higher attendance driven by momentum in 2022, but the baby pool shutdown and other factors reduced visits "by 2,200 guests in 2023 to 2,040 in 2024." He said minimum-wage increases, which he noted rose from $12 to $13.75 per hour, had significantly raised payroll costs and that "chlorine prices have increased 24%." Roberts said, "This is why I'm asking for an increase of $1 a person to go from $3 to $4" and asked the council to also approve increased rental rates for municipal facilities.

Staff noted the last fee increase for pool admission was in 2017. Councilmembers moved the emergency ordinance to a reading and, after the reading and brief discussion, voted to approve the amended contract as presented.

Supporters of the change and city staff framed the increase as necessary to avoid operating losses by the Y this season and to maintain lifeguard and concession services. The ordinance was presented and passed as an emergency measure so revised fees could be applied for the current season.

The council action updates the city’s contract with the Y; the ordinance number recorded in the meeting packet is Council Bill 25-36.

Councilmembers did not provide a detailed roll-call tally on the record during the public reading beyond the voice vote that carried the ordinance.