Elections, pool center Student Senate’s agenda
Discussion on the new pool took up the majority of the Student Senate meeting on Monday.
Dale Grant, vice president of Administration and Finance, came to speak with Student Senate about the pool project. “The pool project is creeping along,” Grant said.
Grant said that he is currently looking into working with the city to get the new pool done. He said that he has met with the new city manager who was receptive. Grant said that by working with the city on this project, it could minimize the cost, which is currently estimated at around 2 million dollars, as well as the time spent building a new pool.
“There is no such thing as a swimming pool that makes money, it’s about how much money you lose.” Grant said the school is losing about $100,000 a year on the current swimming pool. A new pool would minimize the financial effect on the school, according to Grant.
The current pool will be shut down in mid-October.
“We’ll keep it open as long as we can,” Grant said. If the school were to work with the city to build a new pool, Grant said, the pool would be done around Memorial Day versus twelve months if the school were to take on the project alone.
Several attendees asked if the pool would be open to students and open for classes. Grant said that this would be well into negotiations, but it would probably be worked out that students could use the pool with an ID and that there would be certain hours put aside for classes.
T.J. Thomson, Student Senate vice president, asked for a hand vote to see if Student Senate was interested in working with the city for the pool. There was a consensus that those on Student Senate would be interested in working with the city to build the new pool.
In other business, Ashley Swanson, Treasurer, said that there is $83,738 in unallocated funds. Swanson also said that Student Finance Committee is currently looking for a faculty member to be their new adviser. Swanson also said that the applications for Student Finance Committee are currently online or at the information desk.
T.J. Thomson, vice president, said that advertisements for the upcoming dorm elections are up, and asked that the four nominees who had come to the senate meeting to introduce themselves. The four who came were Kaitlin Mackee, Brooks Hall; Jake Almanrode, Edna Wing; Tessa Retzlaff, Edna Work Hall; and Jamie Henry, Edna Work Hall. Thomson encouraged everyone to vote. Voting was yesterday and today at the front desk of each hall.
James Bahensky encouraged everyone to look at the improvements on campus. Bahensky said that the new floor for the NPAC is currently in and the arena re-opened to the public Monday.
Laure Sinn said that Find the Flamingo is going well, and the drawing for the grand prize of the iPad will be at the Foam Party tonight, from 9-12pm.
Sinn also said that the Club Fair is today, and encouraged students to sign up for their club as well as look into other clubs.
Thomson said that the wouldn’t meet next week due to the holiday.
I suggest the Senate talk directly with the City of Chadron folks to find out their take on this pool idea. It sounds good in theory, but the current city pool is not heated and would need heat to both the pool and the building (assuming it is covered) before it would be viable. The City has no money in their budget for such a thing right now, though, so unless the college is gonna pay for it, it’s rather a moot point. Unfortunately, the students, athletes, ROTC program, community swim team, and community members that use(d) the pool will be the ones to suffer from the lack of an indoor pool.
You should choose your wording more carefully. It is not the responsibility of the Senate to seek out the opinions of the city, nor will it be the decision of the Senate to build the pool. The Senate is a stakeholder because, through the students, it is funding some of the project. Also, the city and the college would most likely come to an agreement on payment if any decision is made to enclose the city pool. For your further information, the pool is still open and we have been told that an indoor pool will continue to be a facet of our institution whether it is on or off campus. I am “going” to close now.