Town Council - Special Meeting

cover tonight. You want to rest tonight? Okay, I'll start again. Good evening everyone and welcome to our special edgewood community meeting. Um, we'd like to u follow protocol. So, I would like to call this meeting to order and ask you to stand for the pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Be seated. Catherine, may we have please. When I call your name, please stay here or present. Mr. Reed, present. Mr. Briggs, Miss Baron, here. Mr. Leak Mr. Faren here. Mr. Picket here. Let the record show all council members except Mr. Bricks and Mr. Lee will present. Mr. Brinks on his way. Yes. Oh, okay.

Thank you. Okay. So, we're going to go over just a little housekeeping um before the meeting. Obviously, no cell phones on, please. Um just because we don't want to interrupt anybody that is speaking. Uh we are livereamed so if you need to speak or want to speak you'll need to come up to the podium and um state your name and then you will have three minutes to state your opinion your suggestion uh etc. Okay. Um we'd like to have residents who live here in Edgewood and anyone who actively works in Edgewood um speak this evening. Okay. Um, this this is a special meeting. We don't have very many special meetings here in Edgewood, but this is something that that involves all of us. So, we wanted to bring it out and um ask for your input. And I have um a pool presentation that goes over what we have done in the last two years for 2023 and 2024 since the town has actually owned the property. Um, the town of Edgewood Ma has managed the Edgewood pool since 2015. During the years of 2015 to 2020, only one year came close to even breaking even. Pools are amenities and a bonus for our community. They're not to generate money. Never have, probably won't, but they're they're a a wonderful pull for our community to have. pools cost for chemicals, maintenance, repair, and payroll for those that are managing and guarding. Um, and they usually even out the amount um in the passes that we sell, the memberships um and the daily walk-ins. However, that's not been the

case. Um, the first year of total ownership, which was 2023, resulted in a payroll of $28,500 and expenses of $9,000. Income from um season passes or memberships, a few sponsors, some uh snack shack income uh and daily walk-ins. This wasn't enough to break even. Income was only 26,000. The second year 2024 was shortened by repairs that needed to be completed. Both infrastructure and pumps were addressed. Total expenses for the pool operation were 23,000 plus 69,000. 23,000 was just the pool um for the infrastructure. 69,000 for the uh chemicals and all of that good stuff plus the payroll of 34,000. There are many many um little things that need to be done in the management of a pool. Rates were increased slightly but not drastically. Parties were not booked due to a shortened season. Pool income for the 2024 season was 17,500. So you can see how unbalanced that is. But like I said in the beginning, it's not a money maker. It's something for enjoyment and pleasure and outside activity for our kids, grandkids, and um yeah, so the total tear down and rebuild of our existing structure will be the estimate we have is um $871,000 plus there are extra ADA compatibility access points that we need to have for our restrooms and for the patio. We want to make it totally ADA compliant. Um,

annual cost from Monday through Friday for chemicals, including opening and closing costs for the pool, is $14,000 a year. 14,000 is probably a little less than what we've been paying the last couple years for um opening, closing chemicals and all that. So, um that that's a good deal. Um and remember this is a community facility and it requires a community to support it fully and know that you are behind it and it is ours. So with that I am going to take questions uh at the end we'll have time for questions but I want to move on with um the the presentation that we have um for plans AB and C. Um, and I have tonight lovely Kim and Ray. And Brett's going to sit over here unless he wants to come stand. Um, these wonderful people work at Edgewood Pub and Dining. And if you don't know them,

you should. You don't eat there a lot then cuz we're always we live there. They have been u working themselves silly trying to come up with ideas and um things that we can do to make this work. So um I will turn it over to you ladies. Okay. Um I guess I'll kind of explain what she's doing. One of our other fantastic employees is actually going to college to become an architect. He has drawn up a second idea which is to turn it into a event center slash slash pad that would be like a lot more It's okay.

Yeah. A lot more maintenance. Um a lot less maintenance. uh a lot less cost on as far as having the people there that we would have to have like they would be for a pool. Um it would be more versatile for weddings or class reunions or anything along those lines. Uh still giving the opportunity for we don't have any definite figures. The only figures that we have th been thrown at us is that it would probably be about a third of the cost is what it would be to redo the pool with also adding in the amenities for the be compliant with the baby all that also. So, uh, next to that, our only opportunity would be to just fill it in completely because of the expense of it because we have to do fundraisers and we as employees have all been trying to come up with these little ideas in our heads of of things to do to try to raise money for this because if we go with the pool route, that's a million dollars basically. So, it's not going to come to us overnight. We need the the community's input is what we want is what what you guys think. What would you like to have? Is it you prefer to stay with the pool and work really hard on a bunch of fundraisers, which we're gonna have to anyways, or or go the route to have a splash path so the kids still have entertainment and all that in a bigger event center? We're we're just throwing this out to you guys to see what you might think.

And Yeah. So, basically from what you're looking at that she passed around, this it's basically the same floor plan. Yeah. Of what we had.

That's the pool. This is a option A. This is option B. She said option C would be to ultimately um and it'll be just a flat area. Uh and I'm sure that you guys don't want that. You know, this is somewhere where you guys have been in this community. You went, your kids went, y'all went. Um you know, we we're this is y'all's choice, okay? We're just trying to give you the realistic numbers of what you're dealing with because a million dollars is a lot. And not only that, it's a lot to get in a year through fundraisers. Um, I mean, like we said, you know, we we live at that restaurant, you know, so if you don't know our faces, then I mean, you got to support to be able to for this to work. Um, you know, we we want you guys to have whatever it is that you want and we will work very hard to get it. Um, but you it's only fair that you understand the nitty-gritty of it and it's that it can it gets steep whenever you're trying to, you know, a pull does sound great. And I'm not against it at all because I would probably use it before my ship and after my ship. Um but we're also the ones that have to look at the real is the realistic picture um of what it could do for us. You know, if we do the option is a splash pad if you haven't gathered that by looking at this. Um that's all numbered. You got a key up there. But there's also room for other things. We could have two weddings at one time fully functional. Um, and you know, any other type of events that we could have, it's it's revenue that comes in for a full 11 months. Maybe we might have one month that's down. Um, there's a lot of there's so many possibilities that she wants to tent, possible threeseason tent, get heater, so in the winter time we can still enjoy the patio. We can have movie nights, community things like that. So you guys could, you know, come with little bonfires. you know, we can get them little rollaround ones and have different kinds of events like that that are all based with the community, you

know, things like that. Well, and we also would like your input on things that you will after you all make your decision. Um, ultimately what you want as far as events. We want you to have a voice in that as well. You know, we're thinking crazy cornhole tournament, silent auctions, uh, an adult evening like a fall ball or stuff like that. you know, we have so many things in line already to raise the money. Raising the money and the of doing the events to raise the money, I don't think is going to be really the issue. It's it's can it be done and can it be done in a timely manner um that's reasonable for us to be able to have a communal place that everyone can enjoy next next summer.

Um this is our construction year. This is our decision making year, y'all's decision making year. um you know cuz for us it's our livelihood. It's our job. You know if if we don't have you guys we don't work. Um that building is funded by the community. Um and it needs help right now. I mean, you know, we me and her on the after hours of it and the pool is part of we're deciding on what will bring in the most communal part that everybody gets use out of other than just two months out of the year because the beginning part of it is yes, it's 80 or 871. Um, but that's just to get the pool. Again, like she mentioned, there is yearly cost. Um, so we'll have to fund raise every single year to make this whole work. And that's the reality of it. Um, because the restaurant does not contribute. The golf course does not contribute. These are three separate entities um that we don't they don't bridge on each other and the pole is out of the communal pocket since it was gifted. Um, the splash pad is more of a happy medium. So, we're hoping that it's an option uh that you'll consider.

Okay. Okay. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Nothing. Just fill it in.

Mhm. That's what she turned the back side of the pool thing to show you. There was nothing there. Okay. Okay. Um, is there anyone who would like to come forward and give their comments, um, suggestions, questions? Okay, come on up here, please. And I just need your name. My name is Kim Clark. We live on Berkeley Road. Um my question, one of my first questions is um over the last two years previous to this year, how many memberships were sold to the people of Edgewood here in town? How many actual residents bought memberships?

Okay, interesting. Because um the memberships are open to the public. I know, but I'm saying what percent of Edgewood residents actually probably 75% 75% of the households in Edward are buying. No, no, no, no. 75 of the percent of the memberships that were sold were res. Okay. But I'm saying but what I'm saying is the number of memberships per port of the town that we sold Edgewood residents. So you're saying I know I understand what she's saying. Um I don't

So if we have So we have 2,000 households here in Edgewood. How many of those households bought pool memberships? Probably about I would say about 40. So 40 out of 2,000 is what? No, we don't have 2,000 households. We have 900 900 household. We have 900 houses in Edgewoods and so 40 of those houses bought bought pool passes for for the season. But that doesn't mean that they didn't come and swim because they No, I agree. I agree. I'm just looking for a ratio of number of people who are buying yearly passes to the number of residents that we have. Thank you. Does that make sense?

Yes, that makes sense. Okay. Thanks, Kim. Anybody else? Oh, yeah. [Music] Michelle Lewis 2003 Southwinding way. You don't have to Oh, I don't need Don't have to give your address anymore since we're live streamed. That's okay. We can't take that back.

Go ahead. So, um yes, looking at your this this wonderful plan, I do see that the has a lot more to do with um the profitability of the LLC of the golf course. And Patty, I'm speaking. I'm I'm listening to you. To the LLC of the golf course and the restaurant over time than it does to the community. because I see this little tiny area over here in the lefthand corner for a splash pad.

And if we are going to bring our children there, well, what if there's an event? Well, we aren't bringing our children because you're preparing for the event. So, that is not going to be viable for the community. Would you would you say, Patty, that that would not be the case? I'm I'm listening to whatever you say. It's the community's input that I'm looking for, Michelle. And so I that's what I see right here. And so for an LLC that's not willing to put their effort into improving the space that they have to work with, I I don't see why the community should support that if they're not willing to support the community.

May I comment on your comment? Sure. Okay. The LLC is just managing. We are not trying to make money. We're trying to make money for the community. Okay. But we can't do that unless we can make money. The LLC is a management group. It is not owning. Okay. Okay. That's good information. So that's great. That part and it's not that we're not willing to. We are managing it for the town. That's what we do. The LLC. That's all the LLC does. So how are things coming together for the grants that supposedly people have worked on? And I've heard some rumors about some grants that were given last year that were given to other locations.

Well, that's because there's time time frames for grants and we happen to fit into a bad one, but there are some out there that are due September and October. So, I see. And who is working on us? Um, right now I'm working with the U. Massac County Community Foundation and I'm also working with a lady that does only ADA grants. Okay. So, this is good because again as a community we would like to know what exactly is happening. I think they did mention that and you know you you came to this meeting without documentation of what the profits have been when this is a big deal you know for the community. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I have to make comment on that. Sure.

What are you talking about? I didn't come here with information about Well, I just gave a little rundown of the last two years. She just asked you about some numbers that you did not bring and so I'm just saying that you didn't bring them, you know. I'm not trying to like, you know, okay, but again, for the community, um, it's not not about whether we have a pool. It's about our property. property values and the community in general.

And so, yes, the community does need to come together. And with that, nobody likes to pay taxes, but if there was a very small two% tax added to all Edgewood water and sewer bills, that would be like to I figured on mine would have cost me $2 this month. At the end of the year, that's $24 times how many? And that's only for my small twoerson, you know, house. In the situation where you might have five to six people, your water bill is more and everybody likes to complain about it. I will raise my hand as being somebody to have complained about it. But for my property values, I can handle $24. Thank you.

Thank you. Can I comment? Absolutely. Michelle, I I do want you to know to be clear, no decisions been made. I'm just thinking again. Yeah. Well, but we live in the community. My wife and I use the pool. We take our grandkids there. But the fact is this the town can't afford to do this without the community support. So I I would ask just like you said who with just a show of hands. I've had many people come to us and say, you know, I'd be willing to pay an assessment to get this. Who would who would be willing to do that to support this for for a pool?

Well, let me finish. Let me finish. We have 920 homes approximately in Edgewood. If each home paid $300 in an assessment, it would be almost $300,000. Well, this is true, but we also need for it to be an ongoing thing. So, you cannot expect that somebody I'm just talking about getting $300, you know, that's never going to go to the pool. What I'm saying is, but it's about our parks and recreation and the community and so it should be a continuous tax that is going towards and that could go towards the maintenance and you said that Paul, you know, piles pools was willing to be on a payment term.

Well, let me interject. What I'm talking about is getting the initial work done. We could always add the tax, a small tax to help with the maintenance, the ongoing maintenance, but it's going to be a bit heavy lift to get a new pool put in. Well, let's put that barf for all together and we'll get to anybody else like to come up to the podium. Yes, ma'am. just not your address. Cindy Johnson.

Um, I just want to say that I feel like for me as a parent, um, and of older kids and adult kids, the splash pad is not something I would have any interest in. Zero. Right.

I feel like that's almost like a slap in the face kind of like, "Oh, here you want a pool, but we'll give you a splash pad in the corner." Like, it it's not even comparable in my opinion. I understand that the pool is a huge expense. I I I get that. I understand that we haven't had the money there that we've needed for the repairs and for all of the things, but I also feel like a huge part of that has been in the management or lack of management with the pool because I personally know people that have worked at the pool.

I personally know people that have managed the pool and I know a lot of mismanagement of money at the pool. So, um, for me, I feel like we need a better hold on the management and what's happening and if you're booking private parties that you're actually being build for those and you're actually paying those. If you're booking for private things that you're actually collecting on that and billing for that and I know a lot of that has not happened because I know personally people that have booked the pool and never paid a penny. And I know numerous people that have booked for private parties and never been build a penny. 10 years. Absolutely. In the last two years. Absolutely. The last two years. Two, three years.

I personally have had a party there for our son a few years ago and he contacted Hannah on numerous occasions about the bill to pay and we never it's been three years and it's been numerous numerous numerous emails and phone calls about it. So I think that that's a part of the issue also is can we can we we can't hear anything that's hardly here. No no if we could you know if you want to face them

the microphone will pick you up. It's okay. I was just saying I feel like we need to make sure that in doing all this thing to try to get a nice pool regardless of whether it's a splash pad or a pool or a event center or whatever it is if we don't have good management in there taking care of it and no offense about the people at the restaurant. I haven't been there in a long time because I refuse to go there because we've had a lot of bad issues there. You guys might have turned it around and be doing a great job. I can't attest to that because I don't go there anymore. But I just feel like we have the restaurant, we have the pool, we have the golf course, and I personally don't understand about the LLC and why this is covered and this isn't covered and who like I don't understand why it's not all together if it's all in the city.

That's what I don't understand part of that. Okay. Um but my biggest issue is I'm voting for the pool, not the splash pan. I think if we need more of an event center, then that's one thing, but that shouldn't replace the pool. If we need to do more weddings to raise money and if we need to do more things like that, I'm all about doing fundraising and helping to do that. But I'm with Michelle Lewis 100% about

give us a little extra on our bill. A few dollars here and there isn't going to make or break anybody. 300,000 for 900 people. That's a huge huge jump start. We're not going to do a bake sale for $300,000. We're not going to do a walkathon for $300,000. So, we're gonna have to do like you guys said tons of fundraising regardless of what we do. So, that's really my Cindy. You can go ahead. I just wanted to explain to you the difference. I don't

Okay. The We formed an LLC because the town doesn't have to. We manage it. That's all we do. The LLC manages it. The golf course, the the event center, the restaurant, the pub, and the pool. We do the management for it, do the payroll, do the hiring, the firing, the buying, the paying, all that. The town doesn't have to be involved in that. We are part of the town. We're just a tool for the town to work through all that. But then why are they saying that everything's separate? Like the pool is separate, this is separate, that's separate. It's all under one thing. It's not really

It's not really We're all together under under one Yeah, but it's we don't Yeah, we we're trying to be autonomous from the town, run it separately,

but we don't want to have the golf course supporting the pool running, you know, financially or the restaurant supporting the pool. We want to have each area. We have to obviously because the pool is not a money maker. But what we don't want to do is what has happened. We have all these things that needed to be fixed. That's exactly what's happening. The restaurant and the golf course had to fund the repairs for the pool. And that's what we're trying to guard against to make sure that each of the three areas is able to function. And with memberships or um passes and all that, we should be able to break even with the pool.

Does that make sense? Yeah. I just wasn't sure how that we did it just so that the town doesn't have to mess with all that good stuff. The treasurer doesn't really want to mess with all that stuff. I don't blame her. Uh it's a lot. Cindy, I'll add to that. I I've been very vocal about the fact that I don't believe I think each element should stand on its own. If you start taking things from the golf course, which is expensive to maintain, then the golf start golf course starts eroding. And I feel like if the restaurant, well, number one, I don't think we should be managing the restaurant. I think we should get someone in there to run. Absolutely.

I mean, to get someone eventually that should be the plan, but that isn't the case right now. Um, but if but I don't want the golf course subsidizing the restaurant. Each element should stand on its own. If it doesn't, then it fails. But it has to have that support. And you're absolutely right. And at this point in time, both our the golf course and the restaurant are working simultaneously supporting themselves. Okay. But the pool obviously not. We had to take money from both places to keep it going, which is why we decided we couldn't there couldn't be any repairs this year because it's not repairable. Period. Sure. You have something you can come up if you want.

No. Did I answer your question? You want to come speaker? I'm Jonovan. I won't tell you where I live, but it's I have a question. Do we have like a Okay, I have a couple questions. So, speak langu.

I'm in support of the pool. I will say that. Um, my next question is, so when you're talking about the budgets, are your budgets set up as non-reverting where they have to go back into that budget item? Like if you're trying to have like a pool will never support itself. I mean, you might get it close, but you're going to have if you have an entity like that, they should be able to help and you should be able to move the money in between the places. I mean, the golf course is what happens. It's hard enough. Um, do we have like a census or just Edgewood of like the amount of families that we have with children with younger children versus teens?

It's probably on the website. That's why I said that. I think that's something I mean that's something important to look at also. Um, I have teens. We've used that pool since they were little. My son has worked there at the pool. Um, and I know it costs a lot. I I work for the parks department in Anderson and I know how much a golf course costs. I know how much a pool costs. So, I think the biggest thing is like this is a small group of people that have a strong opinion either way. And so, I think it's important like how do we really get the feedback from our 950 members?

So, I think that's what I don't know if there's like a a legal poll that you can do or something, but I think that this is a small group of people to be able to get that feedback. Um, I think a splash pad, it has its own nightmares to it. Um, and when you look at the space, like if you're talking about doing weddings at that space also, like then you're taking away that component for the community. I think there's a lot of things to look at with that. I like the idea of your community center like being in maybe one of our other parks, but that might be down the road. Um, I think yeah, I was just asking about the non-reverting because there's it's just like when I worked for the parks department Anderson, you had a non-reverting fund for the golf course because the golf course had to support itself, right?

The rest of my budget went into supporting pro properties and parks and all those things. But, um, I do want to thank you all. I feel like you are in a bad spot. I think I don't know if people realize that what it's 76 years old. Yes.

Yeah. So, a 76 year old pool. Um, I volunteered at that pool for years and years and years with the stingrays, with Atak. And I remember painting that pool and 11 years ago I was like, I don't know how this pool is holding water. So, it I mean it has been bandated and I think unfortunately the prior owners over and over didn't take the means that they needed to do to take care of that pool and you guys are kind of stuck with it. So, I do appreciate you guys all looking at it and and taking feedback feedback from the community to look at what options we have. And I think um I do think it's important for property value. I think it's important especially for our teens to have something to do.

Um so, I know that we'll all we'll all be there with you guys and help with the fundraising and doing things. And I would suggest that us as a community continue to go and support the Edge and the ladies and they do have service club meetings in there that I've been to. The food has been great. I know you're trying to turn that around. Um I think it would be excellent if you guys got out of that business and had somebody else rent that from you. Um only if the We have a really wonderful P&L. What's a P&L? Profit and loss,

which we had none when we came into this. So, you guys came into a hard spot, but we appreciate because it's not an overgrown golf course. It is a functioning restaurant. You're trying to make the pool stay alive. So, I do appreciate the the spot you guys are in. Thank you.

Question is, um, is there something we can put with a utility bill to send out to pole people? Would that be possible? We have a short little phrase, but I think two lines, but if it was short and simple, just an idea. Why? Why would it have to be short and simple? Because it only has a small amount of space to put then we could send it on the the postcards with our sewage somehow.

It doesn't have like a big block. It's just short. Have we also looked at so there's an Indiana Parks and Rec Association and I don't know if anybody from our our town has been a member of that. It's a it's a good resource. Sometimes they share out grants um different opportunities for that. So can you get with me afterwards? Yes, we'll talk.

Also in regards to talking about a survey or something like that, we have just recently updated our our county of Edgewood website. got a new website. Uh that's where some of you might have heard about this meeting today. Um I am still trying to figure out how to get around and do things. My wife will tell you she hears me screaming from the other room all the time. Uh but I'll look into getting that survey set up. If we can get something set up, then I'll put that out there and people can actually go there and give us some more feedback. The whole idea behind this thing today is to do exactly what you guys are doing. give us feedback because that's what we need. This is a community. Ask them if they're willing to help more sponsor.

You're going to send a notice out there. Do you have something to come up here? No.

Restaurant. Just wanted to address couple of you who talked about having a leie, you know, run the operate the restaurant. Um, we as soon as we reopened the facility after Mr. Reynolds gifted it to us, that was one of the first things we did. We solicited bids for manager uh much like Anderson does with Grand View. And we had about three or four interested parties who actually toured the facility but only one we only received one bid and uh it just was not suitable. Uh the person who submitted the bid we just didn't feel had the experience or expertise to manage the facility. the other people who looked at it said it was just too large and a facility for them to be interested in managing. So, it's not that we wouldn't like to have an experienced, you know, somebody like I'm just picking a name out like a PS or someone like that to come in and manage the facility, but we just have not been able to generate any serious interest in doing that. And uh you know we even went so far as to advertise in the Indianapolis Business Journal and did a lot of individual uh reaching out and um but unfortunately only one bid was

try again though. Try to do it again. We need to have something positive positive to go out there with a good balance sheet if you will. That was kind of post code when you guys were doing do what now? It was like postco when you were when you were searching for someone to take it home, right? But if someone looks at it and says it's too big and we don't have any any um there's a different pool of people to come look at. But is it because the building is so large? Is it the whole building for renting? Yes.

So I wonder is there a way and I don't know what the cost would be to like didn't the bar used to be in the back? Is there a way to where we have people that manage the weddings and that's not a thing that a person comes in and does. They just have the restaurant and then the town still has people that manages. That was the plan because the I like how you think

the event planning part of the uh of Edgewood is is extremely popular and profitable and the people who are in charge of event planning I we think do an excellent job. Uh and that was going to be our goal. We just want a restaurant manager. Uh we'll do the event planning. We'll take care of the pool. But unfortunately, but yes, there was some discussion very recently about soliciting bids once again to see if perhaps the environment is different now. I don't think you put anybody in there as a restaurant and have a business.

If we if you want to speak, please come up to the podium because we are live streaming. Can't help it. It's the law. It's the law.

It is. when we originally were doing um the stuff for the dining room, the restaurant, I think the issue was that Edgewood, the people here are wanting to maintain control, do events, do this, do that. But you can't have Edgewood telling a business who wants to come in and rent a restaurant, you are or you are not going to do this. If somebody's going to come in and take the building and they're going to run it as a restaurant, they're not going to say, "Oh, you got to shut it down Tuesday because we're doing this. You got to shut it down Saturday because I'm doing a wedding here."

The people who are going to come in and do that or want to go want complete control of that and I think that's an issue when we first have and put the feelers out there to have building to have people come in to to actually run it. Okay, we are getting off track with that kind of question simply because this is about the pool. It's not about management of anything else other than what the community wants. I think it's about just the management of everything in general over there. I mean, it's all tied together. It's all you have the golf course. I don't even know who runs the golf course. So, and then you have the same person who always has. Yes.

Always. I don't. Yeah. Last person I knew who was running it was Dale Vanderberg. No, no, no. That's been a long time ago. That's when it was taken over. No, he was. That's when we were Okay. That's what we were told. No. Yes. That's what we were told in the meetings. Yes. Okay. Ask him. I'm going to ask you to so I'm just saying and just

I'm just saying when we initially did the things that that was who I think part of the problem here as far as the pool and everything else is that there is nobody at the top for management. You have a thousand people saying with ideas there's no cohesiveness when you have so many hands in the pot. Thank you. Mhm.

Good evening. My name is Kim Picket. I'm a resident of Edgewood and what I want to say is I am in full support of the pool. I'm also in full support that we as community members are going to have to support that through different assessments at different times, maybe more in the beginning along with the sponsorships and the grants, but then ongoing so that we can maintain it for the community. And I want to say thank you for all of the work, Ray and Kim and Patty, that I know that you did. That was awesome that you guys were coming up with alternative ideas. Um, I agree with a lot of what's been said here tonight that the splash pad is probably not as much as all the memories that were made with kids, but I think it's great. The the architectural design was awesome. What I would my opinion I would like to see just mine um maybe we have the pool and keep it the way it is. Of course we have to do the ADA compliance

but then in the future as a separate project look at that event center in a special separate place and that can help perhaps support the pool because we know the event center is you know quite a job of itself. And the other thing I wanted to say is if everybody would think before they stand up to speak, they need our opinions as far as do you want the pool, do you not want the pool, how do you support paying for it, they need solutions. Looking at what happened before and who did what before and how they did it is not helpful to anyone and it just kind of drags out the the meeting and we're farther away from getting the pool. So, I just want to say thank you for everyone for showing up. Thank you for all the hard work that you did and I look forward to seeing us be able to work together as a community to bring this together. One more thing I will say, I don't want to talk about the past, but we go to the edge at least average five times a week,

breakfast and lunch. We both retire.

We have grandkids. We take them down there. They love it. It's a great place to be. The food is fantastic. The service has been fantastic. So, I know there may have been issues in the past. Um, I would not judge that because anybody can have a bad night, but if you tell them, they'll make anything right. And the food is absolutely delicious. And I know coming from a small town, it really, really is awful when you lose your restaurant. So, if you can, please try to support. We carried out. I was unable I was sick and unable to leave the house for three almost four years and we carried out there a lot and it was delicious. So I just want to say thank you again for everybody coming.

Thanks. Thank you. Your three minutes are up. You don't even have a timer. Okay. Anybody else? [Music] Hello. I'm Linda Edgar and I've lived in Edgewood for 35 years. We were members of the country club swim team and I want to keep the pool. Uh we this town the city really doesn't have swim teams anymore

and it was a great experience for all of for everyone and the the community supported it as well as businesses in Anderson supporting the swim team and um I know that in the beginning the money to raise I like the idea of the newsletter going with the website or even possibly the survey itself and um maybe asking for a larger assessment the first year as long as you word it correctly showing that it's in support you know because it is our property values as well

and then I feel like there are many other ways that we can support the pool once it goes in and um also you might consider a salt pool price versus a chlorine pool because the salt pool is way better. Take it from me, I have one and I still support the pool. But um

but yeah, I love the idea of it. Not so much a splash pad and I don't really see in the past it's never the pool has never been a problem with other things going on at the club. you know, I mean, I can't remember once any events going on where the cool pool had to be closed, you know, and the adults loved the adult nights at the pool and so I feel like we can support that pool. It's the initial assessment I think might be the way to go. Okay. Thank you, Liz. Thanks. And I love my service at the edge.

You guys are the best. I real bite my head off. Um, we were asked to come up with options for you guys.

Okay, this is a big number and like I said, we we want the pool, too. Um, you know, I definitely get a use out of it because I tiny live in a camper. So, um, I would love to be able to swim somewhere. Um, this when it was gifted, it wasn't given in the best condition. We've been having to focus on things that aren't the pool. And when the pool comes, it's I think the main thing is it's for two months out of the year is what the thing of bot was whenever this was brought about for a second plan. Um the the splash pad that I took out to you, it wasn't like a we're doing this kind of thing. It was more like a it's not for events because we can run events either way. Like you guys just said it, the pool can stay open and we can have a wedding. That's not the the question at hand here. We were looking at a more realistic way for you all to be able to I guess because we all know y'all might not know that rentals pay for all that personally out of pocket. Um now it's essentially up to you all to come together and come up with that same amount of money to do these same repairs but actually fix them, not band-aid them. And I'm going to use someone else's term because that's very much true. Um, and a lot of money went into fixing some stuff for this pool

that the very next year

went to nothing. Wasted. Still have to pay on it actually. Um the it's again I'm team pool too but I this is this is a place that I work and like she said you know we need your support as a whole because you have to have people a restaurant a golf course um I don't think the golf course is going to be bad. There's a lot of golfers out there surprisingly I found out um you guys are a great community. You guys are fun. You're close to knit together. Um, we again it's up to you, but I just wanted you guys to know that this wasn't meant to be an event center. It was a other option for you guys to know that, you know, there's still somewhere for you to come if you want. Um, because the pool, it's going to be a lot. It is. And I thought an understanding was we weren't going to do an extra tax so y'all couldn't or something like that. I don't know. But that's another side of this. Um it's more of a consideration thing of trying to look out for you guys. I understand completely wanting the pool. You guys are very um tight community that you want your own little thing. I work here so I would be enjoying it as well. Um but again, it wasn't to uh I didn't want y'all to think like we're trying to take your pool from you. We were just trying to give you options. Um and come see us at the edge, you know. Um come see us. Look at the space. get to know us. Hopefully there's a pool next year. Um because I will ultimately be the one trying to me and Kim work our butts off on that event center. Um the actual event center, not the make believe.

The plan B. Okay. Um thanks Ray. Yeah, you know I um we we we're going to work hard regardless for you guys. Essentially this is y'all's shindig now. Um it's and again it's your choice. So, um, I just wanted you to know that we're not we're not trying to be the bad guys and take the poll. That's really all that was. Um, but it's okay. Yeah. I don't think anybody sees it that way. But you're right. When this was initially discussed, it was it was stated that this wasn't going to cost the residents anything. But I for one don't think that's feasible. It's not. It's absolutely not. There is absolutely no way.

Well, no. having the edge. Yeah. Any of it. Can I ask a question? Um, and this is far from scientific. Can you hold Can I see a show of hands? Who would support plan? Plan. Listen. Who would support plan A? Show hands. The pool. [Music] Who would be interested in plan B? Splash plaid. Who would who would who who votes for just filling it in and forgetting about it? Okay. Well, we got one vote. All right. Okay. All right. Like I said, it's not scientific. I just kind of gives us an idea.

I would like to be opposed of the Sorry, you have to get your few minutes on YouTube. Um, I was just gonna say I would even not be opposed to filling in the baby pool and turning that into a splash pad, but still keeping the pool. I like the idea for the little kids with the splash, but I don't But I know that the pool is so expensive. I do get that. But you're talking about You weren't here at the last council meeting. Okay. So, this is a picture of what it would look like. This is the patio up here of the pool

of This is of the pool, the new pool. We will fill in the baby pool. There will be a a mother's pool over here. That'll be like a waiting pool where the diving well is. Yeah. Where the diving well is in that area. That'll be filled in except for the top and the moms can sit in chairs with the kids in there. And then this will be the ADA accessible area. And then we'd still be able to have the team that was the 870,000 Yes. This is Yeah. Yes. I promise. Well, we got No, you go, sir.

Good evening. Uh, first of all, I want to thank all the board members for their time and dedication. I know I just finished my time on a board down in Florida and it's something that's uh not always easy by any means. Uh my name is Roger Riddle. I live in South Edgewood and there's a number of ways that we can come up with money here. Okay. One is the assessment. Okay. Two, you know, as I drive through Edgewood, we bike a lot. Me and my wife get up in the morning, we go biking. That's part of our exercise routine. Now, in the winter time, we're either in Florida or we're down at down at the gym doing stuff. But as we bike around, I'm noticing, especially over here on South Winding Way, there's some properties over here that's not being kept up and they're not being, you know, I believe the rules here that you got to keep up these properties and they're not doing it and they could be, you know, fined against that

which would generate money. Another thing is fundraising. Um, I'm really concerned. I know this would be advantageous for us to have a pool to help with the property values, especially an ice pool. So, that's all of our investments. Even if you didn't even go there, it's still going to increase your property value. But when you have, in my case, I've got a neighbor on one side. His yard is nothing but weeds. I'm talking crab grass. You can't see a blade of grass. It's not crab grass. And I've got a neighbor behind me. They just got a dog, but they've never cleaned up the dung.

And surely that's against our rules. So, I mean, there's ways to to raise money here that could go towards this. Again, I want to thank each different. Have you reported those issues? You know, I don't want to be that guy. I've tried to talk to them. You know, they got kids. They wanted to get a dog for their kids. Uh when they first got the dog, they just let it go wild. They didn't do any training of it. It was running up and down the fence. Everybody that come by biking or walking You see that gentleman in the corner back there in the red shirt? Yeah. The one that's trying to hide right now. Yeah. Anyway, you know, we

we got kind of squabble about that. And I you know how it goes. But still, you know, I said, "Would you let your kids chase cars and run and scream and and yell after somebody that's going by?" That's an extension of you. So, we'll take a look. We need to Yeah, we need But there's there's ways that what I'm what I'm trying to reiterate here is there's ways that we can make money. Okay. Again, thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

I just wanted to say as the person who opposed it, the only one in the room, that I guess I personally don't agree with assessing everybody in the town, some sort of tax to pay for the pool. I think if they could fund raise and get the money together to pay for the pool without putting a burden on the people of Edgewood to do that, I think that would be great and I would support that. My first question I initially asked here this evening was how many people here in Edgewood who are residents get memberships? I guess my whole point with that question the very beginning was I can't see spending almost a million dollars on 10% of the people here in Edgewood who actually want the pool. So I think doing a survey and actually getting an idea of actually people who yes want the pool or don't want the pool or want to be assessed or don't want to be assessed is a good idea. But I just can't see putting a million dollars into something that only 10% of the population want to go or want to support.

That's a good point. Thank you. Anybody else?

I don't think it's a fair assessment to look at membership for the past several years because the pool has been on a decline. we've not had all the pieces in place to be able to have management. I think if you've got someone overseeing the pool in the appropriate light, making sure people are paying for stuff, people are paying to get in, you can make I mean just sending out, hey, it's membership time and putting it through Facebook. Not everybody has Facebook. This younger generation is using other social media apps to get information. So, we there's ways to push the the membership and push that up. There really is. I don't think it's Even that small percentage that you said, I think it's because the last several years the pill pool has deteriorated. You had shorter seasons and people were like, I'm not going to pay because is it going to be closed this year? Is it going to be,

you know, so I think when we get to that point where we have a nice pool, you're going to sell more memberships. Thank you, J. Anybody else? Oh, Roger's coming back. I guess maybe nobody's thought about this. If we're going to redo the pool, is it going to be heated? You want You want more membership? I don't know. I'll put that down here. You want more membership where they can use it longer? I have a reason. Okay. Listen, we just redid our pool down in Florida, okay? Mhm. And a heater

for that filtering system isn't that much. I've got it down here. You know, you're going to talk you're going to talk your way into committee. I think you have ours though, right? We can't. But I'm saying it's it you're it goes it's expensive to keep your pool. My name is Daddy Goss and that pool is literally the golf club is literally quiet. My name is Daddy Goss. My husband is Ken

and he used to work at the golf club and he was a former is a former lifeguard. Um I will tell you something that that pool is wonderful. We never use it, but it's wonderful. It's I love hearing the children come. I love hearing the swim team yell and scream. I love that there's a community that loves that pool. And this this community is special. We've lived here now for 19 years and we love it here. And we want it always to be the kind of community that's welcoming and that there's a reason to come here. There's not many communities like this, folks. There really isn't. Let's preserve what we have.

I'm willing to pay an assessment. I will tell you, our house is 75 years old, and we've kind of been looking at downsizing, but I look at the junk that's out there and it's twice the taxes. and half the square footage, half the yard, if maybe oneird of the yard. I mean, it's just what we have here is special. Let's keep it special. Amen. Let's build that pool.

Okay. I just want I'm going to just say something real quick. As council, we're not saying whether we're for or against the pool because we are not making the decision. You all are making the decision. So if we, you know, are happy or sad, it doesn't really matter because we're not making the decision. We're here to hear you and understand what it is. And okay, Mr. Mr. Chairman, you just jumped from member to chair. When I said heat the pool, I didn't mean on winner. No, that is not feasible here. I meant like from May 1st through Memorial Day. Well, no end of October.

Usually heated. Who was the who was a retired um lifeguard? Lifeguard. Hey, Ken. We'll be talking to you about lifeguarding in October. Okay. Anybody else? I I'm Nicole Bled. So, um I just want everybody when presenting like when you first began the numbers that you threw out there were really kind of sounded terrible which but that are those are numbers from a very old pool not a not a new pool

not a not a regular pool. So, I would like those numbers not to be used when presenting, right, presented to other people because they're not true because we didn't they are real, but I know they're real. They're not normal. They're not normal. Yeah. Yeah. I just don't think that looks good. I I still think it would be I still think it would be helpful for us to know what those numbers were over the last couple years. And I was a bargain pool though.

Yeah, I I understand. But um it it would still give us a pretty good idea. I you know um I I agree you're not going to be comparing apples with apples because you know if I have a choice between buy you know if I can afford a new car then I'm going to get the new car. I'm not going to continue to drive the old one. Um but it still would be helpful for us to know over the last couple years what our membership level was. Uh but nobody was getting memberships because they didn't know if the pool was going to stay open or not.

In relationship to that, Art, to just piggyback what you're saying is that would be, hey, this is what we did with that crappy broken down 76y old pool. Imagine what we can do with the brand new Okay, I see what you're saying. I agree. Pool, I think that's what I mean because I I agree. I think a new pool would would drastically increase our numbers, but we have to have a baseline to know what we're working through. But I wouldn't go off the members of that baseline because there's going to be more, right? Yep. That's why the website's so important out there. Is it on the sign? Anyone else? No, she's asking about the website.

Maybe can we get something fire department and you know important survey coming up. It's a good idea. That's a good idea. Got to advertise this.

Joan Godfrey. Um while all this is true about uh the people of Edgewood, and it's important to know how many people we have, how many people use the pool, and so forth, it's an open pool. It is not restricted to people of Edgewood only. And I believe we have people who come from lapel. Um Anderson is not exactly rich in community pools. So we can draw from places other than Edgewood. So while we're talking about doing the project, I think we need to keep in mind that it affects people other than us

and with some marketing we can draw some other people. Thank you. Anybody else? I do have a question. Come on, Brad. Brian, I'm sorry. Brian, wait. Kendall with the Herald Bulletin. If you decide to go forward with this project, you're talking about close to a million dollars. Are you looking at bonding for that? some kind of a bond over a period of 10 to 20 years or how would you finance the u the project?

Great question. That's I mean that's one of the things that's in the the toss up. We want to make sure what we're going to do first and then we're going to go forward with that. We are working with the the foundation Madison County Foundation for not only grant money but donations support that. They're not going to give you a million dollars. Oh, I know that. I know that. But I mean, they're they're kind of guiding us on what we need to do. But, um, are we going to take out a bond? Um, at that point,

we don't we don't know. We don't know yet. That's that's something that I mean I have to see how how the um finances will work with the companies that we're working with and if they will do long-term financing. Yeah. I don't want to be paying for it forever. I don't want the town to have to worry about it. Did you have something to say? Yeah. Brian McCord, if you don't say something, this ain't going to be official meeting. Brian speaks all our medians.

Brian McCord. Um, I live in South Edgewood and I've been in and out of Edgewood for a total of about 40 years. Um, I grew up with that pool. Uh, I drove my bicycle to that pool. We had teenage sock hops at that pool. Um, I mean it's Edgewood without a pool wouldn't be Edgewood. Yes. Uh I'm all for a pool. I think this meeting um has kind of gone to one side or another. I think this just should be do we want a pool or we don't know.

If we vote for a pool, then hey, we're putting the cart before the horse as far as figuring out. We need to find out whether we want a pool or not and then go for financing, then go for the grants, then go for this and that to see exactly how much money is available to us number one through grants. Maybe $300,000 can come through grants from 88. We don't know yet. So, we really can't say, well, let's assess everybody $300. I don't think we're there yet. No, we're not. Okay. Um, so I don't think Edge would be Edgewood was out. Thank you, Brian. Oh, he's got an applause. Yay.

And I piggybacking on what Brian said, the um the fact that we had people sign up at our last council meeting to be on a committee. I haven't called you because of this exact thing. We need to get the cart behind the horse instead of the cart in front of the horse. So, um, after this meeting, I will be calling the people that have signed up and I do have signup sheets if anybody else wants to sign up to be part of the committee to work on all this good stuff. I'm ready to um starting tomorrow do a walking pole like I will walk the neighborhood and knock on doors.

Yeah. If we could if we could get some of these other people that have signed up to help to do a walking and all we have to do is knock on doors. Do we need to projects in the meantime? Thank you.

We don't. It's a town. Yeah. Okay. So, Oh, I I just have one question. Nancy D. Um you said the pump that was put in a few years ago was 66 69,000. No, no, no. How much was the No, the pool and all we had seven of the outlet um drains repaired that was 23,000. But when you said last meeting that it flooded the pump room and the pump was destroyed, that was this year that that happened. Right. And how much was that pump? Did that pump cost? The pump itself cost 14,000. Okay. Because what I just want to know is there any insurance that could be gained from that? Did they have insurance on it? Actually, it doesn't really matter because it was submersed. Okay.

And that's one of the things if it gets submersed, they might cover it. That's I don't know that there's any insurance that might cover some of the cost. The deductible is 5,000. So, okay. [Music] Thank you, Mie. Okay. Anybody else? Well, I'm getting the feel that we want the pool in this group. So,

give yourselves a hand. We appreciate any and all input that you gave us. Um, look at that. Um, if you don't have any other comments to make, I'm not going to keep you any longer. We're not used to having late meetings, but u maybe we should think about having them a little later. There's more people that attend. Um, is so early because people are at work. Cassy's face. She's not I know Cassie is not real excited about that, but would would you would you come

as a council, we all appreciate you guys coming out tonight really. And um we'll we will move forward with this, but if somebody else wants to sign up here that didn't sign up at the council meeting, please come up and do that. Um, we want to distribute the uh the work evenly. So, I will leave that there. And is um is there a motion for adjournment? There's a motion. Is there a second for a German? Second. Moved and seconded twice. All in favor? I opposed. We are ajourned. Thank you.

Good stuff. This is fundraising.