Butler City Council should rethink its current plan to keep Memorial Park Pool closed next summer because of the city's financial concerns.

Keeping the pool closed will eliminate a major recreational opportunity for the city's young people. With the otherwise limited recreational options available, that could result in the problems associated with young people "having too much time on their hands."

City officials don't like it when young people spend their free time congregating in the Main Street business district. However, there will be more temptation for that to happen with the pool out of business.

The issue should not be whether the pool, if it were open, would pose the possibility of a $25,000 operating loss. Instead, the issue should be implementing steps, programs and attractions necessary to at least make the pool a break-even operation.

The young people of the community shouldn't be last on the council's list of priorities. Unfortunately, the plans regarding the pool indicate that might be the case.

Parents and the city's young people should have attended the council's meeting Wednesday evening en masse to express their displeasure regarding the decision.

The city's rainy summers of 2003 and 2004 aren't guaranteed to be repeated in 2005. A summer of consistently above-average temperatures could turn the proposed decision into a blunder of huge proportions.

The council is right in trying to save money and avoid distressed-city status or bankruptcy. However, putting that burden so heavily on the young people who depend on the Memorial Park Pool isn't the right answer.

The Butler YMCA commendably shouldered the pool's operation during 2003 and this year due to the city's fiscal crisis. Now, with the YMCA unable to continue that role, having experienced the adverse financial effects of two chilly, wet summers, and with the city apparently destined to reap a big chunk of additional money as a result of the state's paving the way for an increase in the Emergency Service and Municipal Tax, formerly known as the Occupational Privilege Tax, the city should step forward with a positive decision regarding the pool.

Based on the current financial projections, the city could tolerate a small loss at the pool without that loss creating fiscal havoc.

City leaders have important decisions to make over the next year in terms of putting the city on a strong financial footing for the long term. There needs to be changes in the city's union contracts to reflect the realities of today - and there are other ways of saving money.

The city might end up a few thousand dollars ahead by keeping the pool closed. But if that decision ends up putting more pressure on the police department and keeping police protection downtown at the expense of other neighborhoods, that isn't a palatable situation for the majority of city residents.

The council has plenty of time to look at all sides of the pool issue. It's obvious that it hasn't done so up to now.

- J.R.K.