Town may open swim club to nonresidents
BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer

MARLBORO - Residents of neighboring communities may have the opportunity to join the Marlboro Swim Club, Gordons Corner Road, this summer.

On Feb. 15, Township Council members discussed the possibility of implementing a sponsored membership program for use of the municipal swimming pool. The ordinance, which was approved for first reading with a 4-1 vote, is scheduled for a public hearing and possible vote for adoption on March 1.

Council President Jeff Cantor, councilwomen Rosa Tragni and Patti Morelli and Councilman Joseph Pernice voted to introduce the law. Councilman Steve Rosenthal voted no to the introduction of the ordinance.

A sponsored member or membership is defined in the ordinance as a family or individual residing outside of Marlboro who holds a membership, whether full time or part time, in the Marlboro Swim Club as a result of being sponsored for membership by a resident member.

The proposed fees for a sponsored membership are as follows:

+ Full-time family membership $550.

+ Full-time individual membership $275.

+ Part-time family membership $525.

+ Part-time individual membership $262.50.

Pernice explained that the reason the council in considering allowing non-residents to join the swim club is due to a decline in residential membership in recent years, which affects the revenue generated by the facility. He attributed the decline in membership to the number of backyard pools that have been built over the years. Since 1997 more than 1,200 backyard pools have been built in Marlboro, he said.

In 2006 the revenue generated by the swim club was $858,611 and the expenses were $886,986, according to swim club director Art Lawrence. He noted that 2006 was the first year in which expenses exceeded revenue.

In 1995, Lawrence said, 1,900 families were using the swim club; in 2007 the director projects that 1,150 families will sign up for membership. The loss of about 800 families equates to $320,000 in revenue.

The swim club director said he projects there will be about 350 sponsored memberships if the ordinance is adopted, which would generate $192,000 in revenue. He added that if nonresidents are allowed to use the separate aquatic center, that would generate another $62,000.

Lawrence said he, with the help of the council, has explored many marketing avenues in order to increase swim club membership. He said those marketing efforts were very costly and did not work.

When membership declines, programs such as the day camp, swim lessons and the snack bar revenue suffer as well, Lawrence said.

Morelli said she is concerned that allowing Marlboro residents to bring their friends and family members from other towns to the swim club may create cliques. She said many people join the swim club for the social aspect of meeting new people and that may not happen if everyone is bringing their own friends.

Morelli requested to add a provision to the ordinance creating a maximum number of nonresidents who can join the swim club.

Rosenthal, who questioned whether every financial avenue has been explored, said, "The municipal pool is for our municipality ... I want to know if we've exhausted every detail before we pull the plug and open it up to other communities."

Pernice said although he understood his fellow council members' concerns, he believes the only way to raise revenue is to increase membership. He said even with the adoption of the ordinance, marketing for the swim club will continue. The councilman added that this step is one approach to increase membership and that it can always be changed in the future.

Several council members said they would want to hear how the current members of the swim club feel about allowing nonresidents to join.

Lawrence said he receives many phone calls from nonresidents asking to join and inquiries from current members asking if their out-of-town friends can join the swim club.