Money matters.(From The Editor)(Editorial)

A lot of municipal pool operators are a little funny about money. Some don't like to talk about it. Others would rather pretend it doesn't factor into a facility. And budgets? They're something for other people to deal with.

As an editor, I can understand that attitude. Editors are supposed to worry over words, not wealth. So too, municipal pool operators are supposed to concern themselves with providing a service to the community--rich and poor. Which often means pricing user fees low enough to allow access for even the least fortunate. In this way, operators see themselves more as crusaders than capitalists.

Again, I can understand that attitude. But I also know where it leads--financial strain and eventual breakdown. The truth is that municipal pools (and magazines) need to make money. But I would argue that it goes deeper than that: They can't be a vital part of the community unless they make money.

Think about it. If you don't make enough money you can't afford to invest in your facility. So what happens? First your maintenance suffers. People take notice and you start to lose attendance. As you lose attendance your income ...