SEVEN FIELDS — Borough council may raise fees for members of the Seven Fields Community Swimming Pool to offset budget losses that have grown out of hand.

“We can’t continue this,” borough manager Tom Smith told council Monday night, referring to the 2021-22 budget year. “We can’t continue to have $35,000, $36,000, $37,000 deficits.”

Multiple factors appear to have contributed to the situation, but some reflect decisions council made to pay the community center’s staff fairly, to make the location competitive with nearby businesses and to value the presence of a pool as an asset to the community, Smith said.

It just needs to cost less.

In previous years, deficits related to the pool ran at about $5,000 to $7,000.

Smith said other events throughout the past year may explain the losses, such as the construction of 20 residential pools by homeowners and the lifeguard shortage linked to inflation this past summer. In both cases, the result is fewer residents paying for the pool’s services.

Borough residents can pay $120 for an annual pool membership, with discounted rates for families. Individual nonresidents can pay $155 for memberships. Early bird pricing options also are available.

It isn’t clear whether council will approve an increase for pool membership prices.

Council also discussed efforts to discourage speeding along areas such as Route 228. The road, which abuts North Catholic High School and is known locally as Mars Crider Road, often attracts through-traffic from Cranberry Township and Mars.

During the meeting, council heard from Mark Gregory of Traffic Logix about a type of speed bump and later debated the effectiveness of speed bumps as a possible way of reducing risk to children, seniors and families in this neighborhood.

“I guess the only thing I can speak to is that there are merits to having speed humps,” said Damian George, a traffic engineer with ms consultants, the engineering firm working with the borough.

“The data shows that there’s going to be reduction in speed. On a road such as Mars Crider, for example, speed reduction’s more effective if there’s several speed humps, because if you only have one, you will have a larger margin of decrease in speed, as opposed to having a series of say, three, along that road.”

Damian and borough engineer, John Balewski, both of ms consultants, are expected to further investigate potential solutions in preparation for the council’s next meeting.

Council also accepted the resignation of Mary Wilson, one of the volunteers who served on Parks and Recreation committee.

“I have enjoyed being a part of bringing successful board-sponsored community events back to Seven Fields, and I believe the other board members will do an excellent job building on these events to bring more enjoyment to the community,” Wilson said in a written statement.

“Thank you for the opportunity to serve on the board,” she added. “While I can no longer serve on the board, I look forward to continuing to volunteer at these events.”

Wilson did not mention a reason for her departure in her statement.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Smith’s opinion on speed bumps and incorrectly called Mary Wilson the Parks and Recreation manager.