Lindbergh Pool gets some hope, $40,000 from City of Renton

Hope for the Lindbergh Pool continues to grow as the City of Renton has offered the district $40,000 to keep it open next year.

The money is left over from the Benson Hill annexation.

"From the start of this the council has realized the value of the pool," said council president Don Persson. "It wasn't really a question of whether we're supportive, but it's how we could partner with everybody to get it done."

The Renton School District discovered $75,000 in cuts to the pool's budget, but it's asking community members to raise the difference, about $60,000.

"We really believe they will," Persson said. "They're doing a great job."

The district's proposal comes after two heated meetings, where community members and parents came out in force.

The pool is used more heavily by community members than the district's swim teams.

How the district plans to cut $75,000 from the Lindbergh pool's about $375,000 budget hasn't been announced.

"We want to have conversations with our own staff first," Matheson said.

The announcement comes as district administrators are closer to proposing next year's cuts to the Board of Directors.

The state Legislature hasn't finished its budget this year. The district is expecting to see millions cut from its budget.

The Lindbergh Pool was given to the district by King County after the City of Renton annexed Benson Hill.

For two years the district ran the pool with money from the annexation. That money has run dry.

If the community raises $60,000, the solution still won't be permanent, said Superintendent Mary Alice Heuschel in a press release.

"We're going to probably be right back into the same situation next year that we are in now," Matheson said.

In addition to lowering costs, community members are looking into pursuing other partnerships and business sponsorships.

The district will continue to look for companies interested in privatizing both the Hazen and Lindbergh pools through March.

A few offers have been submitted but not vetted, Matheson said.

Contact Renton Reporter Staff Writer Celeste Gracey at cgracey@rentonreporter.com or 425-255-3484, ext. 5052.

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