Peru pool committee busy in planning stages, gives update on progress

The Peru Municipal Pool Committee may host open meetings in the future.

Chairman Rick O’Sadnick updated the Peru City Council on Tuesday, explaining the now closed-door meetings had continued to be productive; gathering information, having discussions and talking about financing.

The committee is tasked with planning for a potential new swimming pool in the city.

“What we’re working on is mainly trying to get to a point where we have enough information that we can have enough information for the public,” he said.

Afterward, Alderman Tom Payton said that he has been receiving phone calls regarding the pool committee because the council had previous discussions about keeping all meetings open and transparent, and now it’s the middle of March without updates.

“So, may I suggest that you put a narrative out on our Facebook page just to let the public know where you’re at because to be honest I field questions all the time,” he said. “It sounds like you got a lot more work than you anticipated on planning the pool.”

“That’s not an incorrect statement,” O’Sadnick said.

He also said as the chairman he has received no phone calls regarding the committee.

“When you’ve been bashed for 10 years for not wanting the pool and you’re told, ‘hey we’re going to have open meetings, we’re going to get this thing figured out.' They’re not calling you,” Payton said. “No, they’re going to call me.”

In December, O’Sadnick told Shaw Local News Network “Once we get started, all open pool committee meetings will be publicized and all will be encouraged to attend and make their voices and suggestions heard.”

The committee doesn’t violate the Open Meetings Act as there are only two aldermen on it.

Mayor Ken Kolowski announced Nov. 25 he had chosen O’Sadnick, Alderman Andy Moreno, Parks and Recreation Director Adam Thorson and referendum originator Sherry Mayszak to be a part of the committee. Peru resident Christine Mitchell, who is the former manager of the Spring Valley swimming pool, was added to the panel in December.

An advisory referendum passed in November, asking residents if the city should construct and operate a municipal swimming pool funded by the use of the hotel/motel tax.

The pool committee will focus on cost, location and design by looking at construction of a municipal pool from the ground up.

Alderman Andy Moreno said he agreed the meetings have been productive and he can assure the public that the committee is spending timeless hours and effort to make sure it’s done correctly.

“I would love to be transparent about everything and I’m being transparent for you tonight, stating that we are trying to do everything we can to get something out to the public,” Moreno said.