Jefferson Township supervisors are seeking residents’ input on the community pool’s future after renovation costs again came in higher than expected.

The township will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, to gauge how residents feel regarding potential $2.7 million renovations for SEBCO Pool in Laura J. Doerr Memorial Park.

The topic has been a concern for the township after bids came in significantly over initial plans, leaving it $600,000 shy of the planned price tag.

The township had budgeted $2.1 million. Of that total, $675,000 would come from grants.

But when the bids for the project twice came back above the budgeted amount, supervisor Lois Rankin started to question the plan’s feasibility and wanted to know how residents felt about the pool’s future.

Should the township move forward with the project, it would need to invest $2,026,080 of its own money in the $2,701,080 project.

“When we opened the bid, we went ‘wow, that’s just not acceptable,’” Rankin said of the first bid on the project.

The second bid didn’t sit much better with her.

Conversations around renovating the pool started as early as 2021, when the board of supervisors voted to authorize a request for proposals related to a feasibility study, evaluating what work was needed.

Ultimately, the board was presented with a few options, ranging from $1 million to $8 million.

The latter seemed impossible for the township, Rankin said, but putting $1 million toward the project was possible if the township pursued grant opportunities.

This would enable the township to cover cracks in the pool, make repairs in the pump room and replace the heater.

In September 2022, the township received $550,000 from a state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant for the project. While the contribution would put a dent in the projected cost, it required a 100% match, meaning the township would need to come up with $550,000 on its own to receive the funds.

To meet the match, the township could look to taxpayer dollars or seek further grant funding.

In 2023, the township applied for two additional grants to help make the project possible: $250,000 from the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development’s Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program and $250,000 from a Local Share Account grant.

Jefferson Township received $125,000 from the DCED in January 2025 and supervisors voted to put the project out to bid in March.

But officials were shocked at a July meeting when the single bid received came to $3.5 million — over three times what was expected.

That bid was rejected shortly after it was opened, and the board decided to rebid the project at its August meeting.

This time, the lowest bids for all three components of the project — construction, plumbing and electrical — came to $2,701,080.

Now, with the decision to spend $600,000 over budget weighing on the board, it is holding a meeting to encourage public discussion.

Rankin said she has been an advocate for a public forum for the matter since very early on. Taxpayers ultimately will pay for whatever work is done, she said.

“I want to hear from our residents and about what our taxpayers want,” she said.

From her own conversations with residents, she said she’s heard mixed opinions on the pool. Some said it offers a safe recreational space, while others worried about the financial burden the pool has become.

Rankin said the pool is owned by the township, but managed through a lease agreement with the pool association.

While this saves the township money, Rankin said she worries about the pool being exclusively volunteer operated. She said the township regularly receives reports but does not actually get to the view the accounts.

“How do we know if the pool is making a profit? It’s only open about 90 days a year, and we want to hear how things are going and whether they’re making any money,” she said.

Ultimately, Rankin said if the township commits to the project, it will be nearly impossible to avoid raising taxes.

“This is real, and it’s happening now,” she said. “If we do this, it will most likely affect the township’s millage rate.”

Greg Bauer, president of South Butler County Pool Association, which runs SEBCO Pool, said he knows the township will likely make financial concessions for the project but believes it is a net positive for the area.

“I don’t want taxes to increase, and I know the township has to think about its residents, but the pool offers great services like lessons,” he said. “My goal has always been to make it a place for families to come and spend the day together.”

Bauer said he’s been going to the pool since 1976 and his children participated in lessons and the swim team. During the 60 years the pool has been open, he said it has become a multi-generational place for residents.

“I understand it’s a big investment, but it’s an investment that will last a long time for future generations to enjoy,” he said.

Being made up of volunteers, Bauer said the association is limited in what it can do. While it has held fundraisers for the project before, he said they raised little compared to the project’s high cost.

“Our main focus is on keeping the pool running. All our proceeds go straight back into the pool after paying lifeguards and concession workers,” he said.

He said on any day with decent weather, the pool usually sees more than 100 patrons, while on especially hot days that number easily surpasses 200.

The pool is also host to the SEBCO Swim Team, a competitive summer swim team that is part of the Alle-Kiski Valley Swim League. Just one week before Tuesday’ special meeting, the team’s leaders launched a change.org petition to keep the pool open.

“The closing of SEBCO swimming pool would lead to the loss of positive family engagement for the community, dissolution of our swim team, loss of summer jobs for our youth and diminish the essential swimming capabilities of our residents, many of whom consider swimming a life-saving skill,” the petition’s description read.

On Friday, the petition had 638 signatures.

Sharon Conner, one of the swim team’s head coaches, said the team met last year at a different pool due to a late seasonal start at SEBCO. While she said it worked for a few weeks, she does not believe it is feasible to move the team to a new location entirely.

“The team is led by a board of five, and we looked at the other options, but we realized there was no other suitable place. All our kids come from the area, so if we were to switch to a pool in Butler, we’d lose half the team,” she said.

As a result, Conner said the team will be taking a “bye year” while the pool is closed for possible renovations.

“I have some parents telling me they haven’t even told their kids about the off year yet because they know they will cry,” she said.

While the fate of SEBCO Pool and its team are linked, Conner said the Alle-Kiski Valley Swim League may also struggle due to the decision.

“The league used to have at least eight teams, which was great. That has dwindled over the years because pools are struggling everywhere. The league has six teams left, currently five without us,” Conner said.

She said the petition is a clear sign people want the pool around. She encouraged residents, whether for or against the issue, to come out and put their voice into the mix.

Bauer said if the board moves forward with renovations quickly and begins work by spring, he estimates the pool would be open by Memorial Day weekend 2027.