The Peru municipal pool is dead in the water.

The council voted against Phase Two of the project, with aldermen Rick O’Sadnick and Jason Edgcomb voting in favor and aldermen Jeff Ballard, Bob Tieman, Tom Payton, Mike Sapienza, Jim Lukosus and Andy Moreno voting against.

Phase Two – hiring Kmetz Architects to complete approximately $500,000 in architectural drawings- has been a heated debate topic among residents and city leadership since the city paused the pool concept in September.

The $7 million pool would have featured diving boards, a water slide, 25-meter competition lanes and a capacity of 434 swimmers.

It was standing room only on Monday night as residents filled the council chambers to voice their opinion on the issues.

Most were in favor of the pool, saying future generations deserve to make lasting memories at a local pool — just like they did.

Others said the referendum passed, and it was the council’s duty to vote in favor of the pool.

“I really feel like some of you have steered away from your duties as an elected official and made this personal,” La Salle County Clerk and Peru resident Jennifer Ebner said. ”I feel that you are throwing anything and everything you can come up with in rebuttal."

The few residents opposed to the pool cited financial concerns and expressed that the November referendum was not transparent enough.

After public comment, the council discussed the motion during the public services portion of the meeting. During that time, several residents held up signs that read “Do your job.”

The aldermen who voted against the pool echoed the potential financial impacts of building a pool.

“I can tell you right now,” Payton said. “The hotel motel funds do not generate enough to pay for a municipal pool.”

Edgcomb agreed with his fellow alderman but said he voted in favor because he had previously stated he would if the referendum passed. Cheers erupted from the crowd.

“Don’t get too excited about it,” he said. “Because even though I’m voting for it, I’m letting you know...if the vote goes through, there’s going to be a lot of hard decisions to make.”

Following the vote, the crowd derided the council, some shouting that they should “wait until the next election.”

Mayor Ken Kolowski said he only had one word to describe how he felt — disappointed.

Kolowski said at this point, there is no plan B, as he doesn’t have the support to move forward.