City beach finances under water

Cloquet Community Education and Recreation director Erin Bates told city councilors Tuesday that the city’s Beach at Pinehurst hit its largest deficit this summer, with revenues at $50,619 and expenses at $84,957, a difference of more than $34,000.

Her presentation was informational only, intended to let the councilors know what’s happening. Graphs and charts going back more than 10 years showed the city swimming pond making money or close to breaking even from 2009 through 2018. In recent years, the gap between revenue and spending has grown. Attendance has dropped by about 50 percent since 2013, she noted.

The numbers told the story, but not the reason why.

The pandemic — and being closed in 2020 because of Covid-19 — didn’t help, Bates said, speculating that some families may have changed their recreational patterns. A shortage of lifeguards and increased closures the following year was an issue. A new life jacket policy for kids 12 and younger contributed to the decrease that year as well. A shift in school-age population could also be a factor, she said.

Bates said they modified the life jacket policy last summer to apply to kids aged 11 and younger, and to allow kids ages 9-11 who passed a proficiency to not wear life jackets.

Many of them failed, she said. Although the policy isn’t popular with the preteen set, she pointed out that the Beach used to see one water rescue per 1,200 visitors. Since they’ve implemented the life jacket policy, they’re seeing one water rescue per 7,000 visitors.

“That’s an 85 percent drop in water rescues,” she said. “We didn’t have one water rescue this summer, which has never happened.”

City administrator Tim Peterson pointed out that the city made a large investment in the facility, and it’s not going away.

“Let’s be honest, though. All of our parks, generally speaking, are going to be money losses. A playground doesn’t make any money; the skatepark doesn’t make money. It’s important to have features like this. However, generally speaking, those facilities also don’t come with annual ongoing expenses.”

Public works director Caleb Peterson said the parks commission is looking at increased marketing to try to draw people to the unique Cloquet facility.

Community Ed is conducting a community survey to try to understand the drop in attendance and gather suggestions to draw more people to the swimming pond in the heart of Cloquet.

Bates shared some of the information they’ve received so far, but the survey will be open through January. She said the No. 1 reason people gave so far was “lack of time,” with changes to Beach hours and closings, the life jacket rule, Covid and “other options” rounding out the top five reasons. She’s hoping more people will weigh in.

The short four-question survey can be filled out online, or in person at the office at the middle school. Those who complete the survey and provide their email addresses by Jan. 31 will be entered into a drawing for $20 gift cards to Premiere Theatres. All responses will be kept confidential. To complete the survey online, visit https://forms.gle/dAEs1J5NLqvGuY8c9.

In other matters Tuesday, the council:

-Approved Lara Wilkinson to continue as acting mayor for 2023, a role she assumes when Mayor Roger Maki is absent.

-Approved the Pine Knot News as its official newspaper in 2023, as the only local newspaper that meets the qualifications required by the state for having a business located within the city limits.

- Appointed or reappointed Kathy Blais, Donald Walsh and Barb Lammi to the library board; Terri Lyytinen and Brittany Kuschel to the planning commission; and Cory Martinson to the parks commission.

-Passed a change to city code for the newly approved half-cent sales tax, to go into effect in April.

-Awarded a bid for a new water meter system and installation of that system to Dakota Supply Group, which did not have the lowest bid for installation, but did have the lowest ongoing future costs, Caleb Peterson told the council. The bid of $1.9 million was within the budgeted costs.

-Approved the purchase of a new street sweeper ($215,357) and a new backhoe ($90,507). Both bids came in about $20,000 under budgeted costs, with trade.