MARIETTA – It’s the time of year for budget scrutiny in towns across the nation and those in Washington County are among the rest looking at what services they can provide to their constituents.

Staples like police and fire services often take top priority and then other beneficial services fall in line behind.

Whether or not and how to keep a pool open when it’s not financially beneficial has been a struggle in several communities.

“A lot of times with a city with a pool it’s a service to the community,” said Mike Bishman, owner of Professional Pool Management which manages several local community pools. “Each community hopes to just come as close to breaking even as possible but some are OK with a $10,000 to $15,000 loss; that’s what I’ve seen in the past that has been acceptable.”

A community pool provides more than just a place to get a tan in the summer. For many it’s a place to get in a non-impact workout, teach skills to children and make memories with family and friends.

“Last summer I went by myself a lot and met up with friends there,” said Anthony Sparks, 12, of Marietta. “It was pretty fun. I really like the aquatic center.”

For Kristin Berry, 24, of New Matamoras, memories of her childhood are often centered on time at the pool in the summer.

“I grew up at (the New Matamoras) pool, it’s a summer home to me and to many other citizens. I was a lifeguard and became really close to the managers, to the rest of the staff and to the pool-goers,” said Berry. “I know the town struggles with finances every year to be able to open the pool (but) the community pools in the Mid-Ohio Valley allow children to stay out of trouble and to get out of the house.”

But as an operation, keeping up with the cost of maintenance, repairs and staffing can leave smaller towns and communities pooling pennies to make ends meet each summer. Local budgets for pools range between $40,000 and $250,000 depending on the size and breadth of attractions.

Steve Schoonover, 54, of Devola, past president of the East Muskingum Community Association which owns the Devola Pool, confirmed that finances are also a concern with a budget between $40,000 to $45,000 funded entirely through passes and donations each year.

“The biggest challenge we have is keeping enough money to keep opening the pool,” he said. “Every year it’s the maintenance we need like cleaning and painting but some of the other things we have done in the past to offset cost are swim lessons and aerobic classes in the mornings for seniors.”

Upgrades also must be factored into budgets if pool owners want to stay competitive and keep drawing crowds.

“We’re looking at putting in removable steps since right now we only have ladders,” said Schoonover. “But that’s between $4,000 and $8,000.”

In Lowell a hidden gem for the village did well this past summer but that’s not always the case, according to Mayor Steve Weber.

“Last year we ended up ahead a little and we’re going to try and keep open at least for one more year,” he said. “But pools don’t seem to be used as much as they used to.”

Weber said a big help to the Lowell Pool has been hiring staff through Washington County Job and Family Services, which offers a summer youth employment program.

“They pay the wages for those kids and they’re hard workers and have done well at the pool,” he said. “Plus it gives them work experience to get jobs after they leave.”

Marietta also outsources the management of staff and daily maintenance of the Marietta Aquatic Center to Bishman’s business.

“He has done wonderfully out there,” said Susie Joyce, public facilities manager for the city. “He takes care of hiring the lifeguards and setting up swim lessons and aerobics classes for us and does a really great job.”

Bishman said the key to success and breaking even on expenses is proper pool management.

“We make sure that we don’t have 15 lifeguards on staff that day if we’re not busy and we make sure everything is safe,” he said. “But that’s one thing that takes so much stress off city workers and finance directors. It takes workload off them.”

For the Beverly-Waterford Pool the outlook is still on thin ice as Beverly City Council tries to crunch the numbers and see if they can re-open this summer.

As the pool, which costs about $40,000 a year to operate, has operated for year after year in the red, council has even considered placing a property tax levy on the ballot for cover pool maintenance, among other ideas.

“We’re working on that and we’re trying,” said Mayor Clem Biedenbach. “But that decision is really up to council if we can afford it.”

“They’re up in the air if they’re going to be able to do anything,” said Bishman of the pool. “That’s the only pool debating opening that I know of.”

Beverly Councilwoman Kandy Baker, head of the pool committee, was unable to be reached for comment. Administration of New Matamoras Village also did not return calls for information.