Part 2: Rhodes Pool Funding Request — County Council Hears New Costs and New Questions

CORYDON, Indiana — One week after park officials presented three costly options to Harrison County commissioners, the Rhodes Pool saga continued at the County Council meeting on October 13th—and the new testimony only deepened the questions surrounding the aging facility's future.

Little Footwork Between Meetings

Despite a full week between the October 5th commissioners' meeting and the Council's October 13th session, Park Supervisor Larry Shickles arrived with little more clarity than he had the first time.

Pressed for firmer numbers, he still couldn't provide them. The replacement estimate actually grew wider rather than narrowing—from $4.5 to $6 million to $4 to $8 million, still excluding property costs. Shickles said he was seeking additional bids, but this is now the second consecutive meeting where he has said the same thing without new quotes in hand. He also defended having only one bid—from American Clean & Seal—by noting few area companies do this specialized work, though a shortage of local contractors would arguably be reason to look farther afield for a public expenditure of this size.

Meanwhile, his own description of the damage undercut any sense of urgency: the interior pool lights haven't worked "for some time," and the Kiddie Pool has been closed for years for failing health department requirements. These problems weren't sudden—which makes the absence of prior groundwork harder to explain.

A Lack of Preparation Raises Questions

The Parks Department has had years to develop a cost-benefit analysis on Rhodes Pool's viability. Instead, officials arrived with rough estimates and unanswered questions.

Notably, Shickles requested $165,000 for temporary repairs while admitting the actual need is likely $125,000 to $130,000, saying they asked for more "just in case"—as the county operates with a negative budget.

Councilman Richard Gerdon pointed out critical details were missing from the single quote provided. Councilman Kyle Nix asked about repair specifics and raised whether the YMCA could take over pool operations if Rhodes closed. Members then asked if anyone knew the YMCA's current capacity or whether it could even accommodate more members for pool sports—no answer emerged, leaving the idea unverified.

Equally telling: officials largely did not press Shickles on why he lacked this foundational information, and no follow-up study was demanded before proceeding.

The Pool Has Never Paid for Itself

A park department supporter volunteering information offered perhaps the meeting's most consequential disclosure: the pool has never sustained itself financially and has run at a loss for years. Even a new facility, he cautioned, would likely draw foot traffic only briefly. Renting the pool for private events, he added, comes nowhere near covering costs.

The only profitable operations in the entire Parks Department, it was discussed, are RV and cabin rentals.

The Options, and the Numbers

• Temporary Fix – $125,000 to $165,000, aimed at opening for the upcoming season without addressing long-term decline.

• Full Refurbishment – Roughly $2 million, extending the pool's life 8 to 10 years.

• Complete Replacement – $4 to $8 million, not including property acquisition, requiring new land and an estimated 5 to 6 years.

  
  

If replacement is chosen, selling the existing property could offset some cost—but how much remains unknown, as no appraisal has been presented at either meeting.

Fiscal and Legal Context

Harrison County is already operating with a negative budget. Committing millions to a swimming facility means diverting funds from roads, public safety, and other core obligations.

Worth weighing as well: swimming pools are not a required function of county government. Indiana counties are charged with core services—public safety, infrastructure, judicial administration. A pool is a discretionary amenity, not a mandate, making any expenditure a direct trade-off against constitutionally grounded duties.

Public Input Still Undefined

Commissioners have said any repair exceeding $1 million would require gauging public opinion, but the mechanism remains unclear—survey, town hall, or regular comment period? Without clarity, residents can't easily know how to make their voices count.

Eyes on Harrison will be keeping close watch on how that input is collected and weighed. Given the unanswered questions about timing, missing reserves, the budget shortfall, the incomplete financial analysis, and the unexplored private-sector alternatives, transparency will be critical.

The Council will vote on the $165,000 request in two weeks, alongside a scheduled executive session. One member assured the public that the closed-door session meant nothing was being done "in secret"—an assurance some observers found contradictory on its face.

A Broader Trend, and Another Path

Municipal pools nationally have been closing—often not from disrepair alone, but from declining attendance that no longer justifies the cost. Rather than funding a pool directly, County Leaders and the Corydon Town Council could invite private businesses to build and operate more popular amenities like splash pads, using tax incentives or expedited permits to make it attractive. That shifts capital and operational risk away from taxpayers.

There is also a middle ground worth considering, given the YMCA discussion at the meeting. If the YMCA were open to expanding its aquatic offerings, the Harrison County Community Foundation (HCCF) could potentially provide funding for the organization to enlarge its own pool to meet community demand—keeping aquatic recreation available without the county building and operating a facility of its own. This is the author's suggestion, not something raised at the meeting, and whether the YMCA has the appetite or capacity for such an expansion remains an open question.

What Happens Next

Summer is still a year off, but lead time for construction and approvals means any decision must come well before the next season opens.

And the central question remains: should the county spend millions on a pool that has never paid for itself, when communities elsewhere are closing theirs, the budget is already unbalanced, and no constitutional obligation requires the county to provide one?

The Council votes on the $165,000 request in two weeks (26 October 2026). An appraisal of the existing property, a proper cost-benefit analysis, and the promised second bid all remain outstanding—as does whether the YMCA could absorb pool operations.