Peru mayor names members of pool committee

The Peru municipal pool committee was formed and the first few members designated.

Mayor Ken Kolowski announced Monday he had chosen Aldermen Rick O’Sadnick and Andy Moreno; Parks and Recreation Director Adam Thorson and referendum originator Sherry Mayszack to be a part of the committee during the Public Works Committee meeting. An advisory referendum recently passed, asking residents if the city should construct and operate a municipal swimming pool funded by the use of the hotel/motel tax

The mayor chose O’Sadnick to lead the committee and that group will begin the process but Kolowski welcomed everyone’s input.

Alderman Mike Sapienza asked Kolowski what the function of the pool committee would be and voiced his concerns about not seeing a balance within the committee.

Kolowski said the committee would focus on cost, location and design by starting from the ground up.

“The only reason I’m concerned, there were seven members who voted against this up here on a straw vote,” Sapienza said. “And now the eighth member is in charge of the committee and it’s 90% pro pool. I don’t see a balance.”

Alderman Jason Edgcomb said he understood where Sapienza was coming from but the pool committee’s job isn’t to make a decision, it’s to draw the research behind it and bring it back to the council.

“So, it should be people that want it,” he said. “Because they need to know what they want, right?”

Sapienza said he understands but normally with a committee there still is a balance and said if the committee was to discuss cost there would be no one more qualified than Finance Chair Tom Payton — adding he didn’t mean to throw him under the bus.

“I just thought it would be a little more fair and balanced considering the way this council was leaning prior to the last election,” Sapienza said.

Payton said he agreed with everything Edgcomb said: Let the committee form itself and encouraged Sapienza to speak with O’Sadnick about his concerns of adding another person.

Payton said he had a request for Kolowski, which was to stop telling residents that there is $3 million in hotel/motel for the pool. Payton said he has received four calls from residents asking where they came up with the funds.

“The money in the hotel/motel fund right now is committed,” Payton said.

Kolowski didn’t respond to the comment.