Wallumbilla pool could cost ratepayers more than $400k if entry made free

After the ratepayer cost of running the Roma pool went up by 478 per cent when entry was made free, Maranoa Regional Council is now considering the same controversial change to another of the region’s facilities.

Mitchell Pogan, Bailey Grimes, Tyson Gilmour and Connor Pogan battle it out in the Wallumbilla Pool. Photo Tom Gillespie / Western Star

Maranoa Regional Council has moved forward on plans to make entry free at the Wallumbilla pool, only months after a similar initiative in Roma pushed the cost to ratepayers up by 478 per cent.

The proposal was tabled at the ordinary council meeting after Outback Swim School manager Melissa Sutton opted to extend her lease at the pool until October 1, 2024 as part of the original contract.

Deputy MRC CEO Rob Hayward said potential new operators expressed interest in taking over the pool lease prior to the meeting, but voiced concerns changing hands could send council costs soaring to $444,813.15.

He said the figure was based on the management change at the Roma pool earlier this year.

Mr Hayward said management under Ms Sutton was currently costing the Maranoa council $93,057.22, but the pool was netting only $1 from each of its 1726 admissions in the 2020-21 financial year.

Facing backlash from some councillors over the possible termination of Ms Sutton’s contract and the cost of her possible replacement, Mayor Tyson Golder urged his fellow representatives to push for free pool access across the region.

“I believe if the average person in the street knew how much it cost to fund and subsidise the pool, they would want us to get more people to use it to get value for money,” he said.

“If you were running a business and you were incurring massive costs in subsidising it, you would want people to use it.

“And, these are opportunities to get more people getting healthy in the pool.”

Councillors voted in June to make entry to the Roma Denise Spencer Memorial Swimming Pool free at an estimated cost of $529,000, though it was later determined to be an even higher cost to ratepayers at $539,250.

Councillors Cameron O’Neil, Wendy Taylor and Johanne Hancock voted against the motion in June and restated their opposition to the free pool’s initiative on Wednesday.

Mr O’Neil said the community had made its views known to him and were not behind the program.

“People who are using the pool expressed to me their frustration in this decision,” he said.

“I think there’s an opportunity to rectify for this facility and for future facilities, a poor decision.”

With the contract under review only a few weeks out from Christmas, Ms Hancock said she wished the council had instead approved the extension of Ms Sutton’s lease and discussed changes to the entry free at a later date.

“I don’t believe this was the time to have that debate. I believe we should have granted her wish based on the fact that she has provided exemplary service to our community,” she said.

“I do think that she deserved to have certainty going into Christmas, so that she could forward plan her future with operating that pool.”

Councillor Julie Guthrie voted for the motion alongside councillors John Birkett, Mark Edwards, George Ladbrock and Cr Golder.

She said the decision to make the pool free was in line with its history as a community-led project.

“The community paid for the pool, so many decades ago. I think they should be entitled to free access.

“I have no issue with Mel, she does a fantastic job. We would be in a terrible situation if we didn’t have her down there.”

Originally published as Wallumbilla pool could cost ratepayers more than $400k if entry made free