Princeville to pay for aquatic center survey

By NICK VLAHOS
For The Weekly Post

PRINCEVILLE – More municipal money will be spent on the shuttered Princeville Aquatic Center. But not much more, and not with majority support from village trustees.

Village President Jeff Troutman broke a 3-3 tie July 16 to approve paying for a survey of the aquatic-center property. An attorney for a not-for-profit group that seeks to reopen the swimming-pool complex asked the village to fund the survey, according to Troutman.

The survey might cost about $1,000; Troutman said he didn’t know the exact figure. But in the 10 months or so since trustees voted to close the aquatic center permanently, some have made it clear they don’t favor devoting any more funds to it, aside from demolition costs.

Village Board division regarding the survey payment turned out to be exact.

Trustees Ron Delbridge, Rick Pope and Richard Schoenbeck voted against the expenditure. Colleagues Teresa Gilroy, Donald Peterson Jr. and Steve Potter voted yes. Potter was the final trustee to vote. Troutman votes only in case of ties.

“When you sell your own home and you do a survey, you’re responsible for doing that,” Gilroy said in support of approval.

Earlier in the meeting, Troutman said he didn’t think the village should pay for the survey, given the board’s previous stances. Afterward, he suggested breaking the tie in the affirmative was the correct call.

“I think it was a good-faith effort, to go ahead and do it,” Troutman said. “I don’t think it’s going to be that expensive. I’m OK with it.”

The survey is necessary because of a village easement that runs through the property, according to Troutman.

The board decision essentially resets a 60-day period in which the save-the-pool group, also called Princeville Aquatic Center, is to determine whether a reopening is feasible financially.

Last month, trustees voted to donate the pool complex to the group. The pool is to be donated in as-is condition. If the pool-saving effort fails, the village is to resume ownership. Demolition is likely to ensue.

“No matter what, we’re going to need a survey,” Troutman said. “If we get the property back from them, we’re still going to need it surveyed. So that gets that part out of the way right now.”

As of late last week, $983 had been contributed to a pro-pool GoFundMe-webpage campaign. The stated goal is $250,000. Pool advocates have said it might take $1 million to resurrect the facility.

No Princeville Aquatic Center representatives attended the board meeting last week. But Troutman and some board members criticized social-media posts that suggested the village has hampered save-the-pool efforts.

The posts suggested the village was malicious in removing pipes and electrical work, according to village officials. They said that dismantling was done shortly after the board voted in September 2023 to close the facility. Pool-saving representatives first approached the board publicly in mid-October.

“They ran a lot of chirping, and there are no facts as to what they’re saying,” Delbridge said regarding the posts. “When you spread falsehoods, it makes everyone here look bad, like we chose to screw that group over. (The facility) was slated to be destroyed.”
Delbridge said he doesn’t believe the save-the-pool leaders are aware of the accusatory social-media chatter.

In other business, the board approved the appropriations ordinance for the 2025 fiscal year, which began May 1. Total appropriations are $3,357,535. An appropriations-ordinance hearing during the meeting attracted no public comment.

Trustees also approved a $1,000 donation to the sports-boosters club at Princeville Junior-Senior High School.

Building permits were issued for a 6-foot wooden privacy fence and a 10-by-10-foot deck and metal pergola, both at 126 N. West St.