Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre (MAAC) may be forced to reduce operating hours, cut staff and increase admission prices after Moree Plains Shire councillors proposed to cut the facility's operating budget by 45 per cent as part of council's 2019-2020 draft operational plan and budget.
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At last month's council meeting, on Thursday, May 23, councillors endorsed the draft operational plan and budget 2019-2020, now on public exhibition, which includes a reduction in the MAAC's Community Service Obligation (CSO) funding from $550,000 per annum to $300,000.
That's a cut of $250,000, which MAAC chair James von Drehnen said is "unsustainable".
"As chair of MAAC, I'm concerned that some of our councillors don't appreciate how important the pool is and what it does for the community," he said.
"To propose to cut funding by 45 per cent is ridiculous.
"Since the MAAC board has been in operation, it has been underfunded and has not been able to generate any surplus to invest back into the complex. We need to be not talking about cutting back on funding, but convincing council we need to be increasing funding.
"Unless we keep reinvesting back into the centre and maintenance, we're at risk of the centre degrading. We cannot afford for this centre to be going backwards. It must be continually improving, but we can't do that with less funding."
Moree mayor Katrina Humphries said that while that $250,000 won't be going towards the MAAC's operating costs, it has in fact been set aside to be used for 'other expenses' relating to the facility.
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"A further $250,000 has been put aside for other pool costs that may arise," she said.
"It has been earmarked for other MAAC expenses."
Either way, Mr von Drehnen said that's less money the MAAC has to operate for the year, which will mean that unless significant changes are made, the facility will be out of money and forced to close by September 2020.
"If [the cut] does happen, we'll have to significantly reduce operating hours," Mr von Drehnen said.
"At the moment, we're open 357 days of the year, 96 hours a week. Our aquatic centre is probably open more hours than any in Australia. We're going to have to look at those hours.
"From the board's point of view, we're not keen on reducing hours, but if we don't have the money to operate, we can't open for the hours we're opening."
The MAAC's biggest operating expense is labor, however its wages and salaries are in line with the government award, while staffing numbers, particularly the number of lifeguards required on duty, is mandated for safety reasons.
"Occupational health and safety is of the utmost importance to us and safety of patrons is our highest priority," Mr von Drehnen said.
"There's really no option to significantly reduce staff. Only operating hours. But that's got to be the decision of council."
The other option would be to significantly increase fees and charges to recover costs, which Mr von Drehnen said isn't supported by MAAC.
"We have the opportunity to save money in power and chemical, but that would require capital investment," Mr von Drehnen said.
"We must accept that we are a tourist attraction and have to continually reinvest to attract toursists, while not forgetting our community."
Last year, the MAAC recorded 225,000 visits, which is benchmarked in line with other facilities that are in a catchment population of 65,000 people, within a 5km radius.
"What that tells me is we are a tourist destination," Mr von Drehnen said.
"There's no way 10,000 local residents can give 225,000 visitations.
"It just demonstrates how important tourism is. I don't think some councillors fully understand or appreciate that."
Counci's draft operational plan and budget is currently on public exhibition, with the community given until 5pm on Monday, June 24 to comment.
The MAAC board plans to make a submission, requesting that council reconsider the 45 per cent cut to the CSO.
