SWIMMERS OBJECT TO FEES; BOARD STANDS FIRM

Despite the objections of adult members of the Cape Girardeau swim team, the city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Monday refused to alter proposed fee increases for use of Central Swimming Pool.

Several members of the "Cape Masters" swim team attended the park board meeting to berate a plan to charge the regular "fitness swim" rate to master swimmers who use the pool during early morning hours.

Libby Roeger said the 12 masters swimmers pay $240 annually to the Cape swim team, and the additional city pool fee would be too much of a burden.

"We feel we already pay and have paid for the past five years for the use of the pool," she said. "Basically, what we really feel you're trying to do is make us pay twice."

But Jim Grebing, chairman of the park board, said changing the fees for masters swimmers likely would force the board and city to re-examine pool fees for everyone.

"If waiving your fitness fees for masters swim team members is going to unravel this whole package, I'm not going to do that," Grebing said.

Board member Steve Jackson said that regardless of the fees members pay the swim team, adult swimmers who use the pool in the morning "fitness swim" hours ought to pay the fitness swim fee.

Other board members said that if the city's going to try to offset its $97,000 annual subsidy for Central Pool, all users must contribute. The board voted 6-1 to affirm the previously recommended fees.

Only Julia Kridelbaugh voted against the measure. She said the city fee for the masters swimmers is discriminatory, because young members of the swim team won't face a similar fee hike.

"If they're swimming as part of the swim team, they're either swimming in the mornings or the afternoon. What's the difference?" she said. "I can't see how we can charge them fees for one time but not another."

Roeger also said she didn't know why masters swimmers were being asked to pay in the mornings but not in the afternoons.

"Why should we be any different than my son who swims in the evening when we're part of the same team," she said.

Jackson acknowledged that the fee was discriminatory. But he said the city already discriminates by giving senior citizens and children a break on pool fees.

"The problem I've got, I'm asking retired people on a limited, fixed income to pay three times that to swim in the same water and fight you for lanes," he said. "You people can afford it, but they in many cases literally can't."

The city initially proposed charging the swim team $10,000 annually for use of the pool, but later recommended a fee about half that amount.

Jackson said the "sweet deal" the city provided for the swim team was offered under the condition that masters swimmer would pay what other fitness swimmers pay to swim in the mornings.

"We're asking for $97,000 to come out of the clear blue sky," he said. "We're already asking fitness swimmers to kick in $6,700. The swim team with 60 to 65 members is being asked to pay $4,000.

"All we're asking is for you to pay your fair share."

Board member Mike Kohlfeld said the $240 fee the masters swimmers pay to the swim team goes for the privilege of being coached and has nothing to do with use of the city pool.

"If they choose to pay $240 to be coached, that's their choice," he said. "If they want to support the swim team they can do like other people who support slow-pitch softball and write out a check."

Martha Freeze, a masters swimmer, said she doubted the 12 people in the group would remain members of the swim team if they were forced to pay the city fee.

"Our concern is that we'll have to drop something, and we'll probably drop our affiliation with the swim team, which will hurt the team," she said. "We just feel the fees exceed what we're willing to bear."