Washington still working on Y agreement

WASHINGTON — City officials did not untable an agenda item related to funding agreements with the Washington Y at a meeting Tuesday night.

“There’s a couple questions that remain for a couple councilors,” Mayor Jaron Rosien said in a followup interview. “The delay is just waiting for those city councilors to get answers to their questions.”

The item was initially expected to pass at a Sept. 20 meeting, but has faced delays from miscommunications and some pushback from the City Council. If approved, the agreement proposed at the previous meeting would gradually raise the city’s annual pool management payment to the Y from $3,000 to $13,000 by 2025.

Rosien said he hoped the parties could reach an arrangement.

“I think it’s to the mutual benefit for both the city and the Y to come to an agreement for pool management,” he said. “City council concerns are valid, but if we’re going to have someone else manage the pool, we have to be careful not to micromanage … the time to get questions answered is pre-agreement, so we don’t micromanage throughout the day-to-day activities.”

Those in favor of the new agreement, like City Administrator Deanna McCusker, have said the amount paled in comparison to the full cost of a pool manager. Those opposed, like Council Member Fran Stigers, have said it would be a 300% pay increase for the same amount of work.

Rosien said the council could plan on discussing the item at its next regular meeting Oct. 18.

In the meantime, City Administrator Deanna McCusker said she would continue discussions with decision-makers.

"If I don’t have an upcoming one-on-one with you, I’d like to schedule one in the next week and half or so, so we can talk about (this) in more detail,“ she said to council members at the regular meeting Tuesday night.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com