MORGANTOWN, W.Va – Weather is being blamed for an estimated $12,000 operating loss at the Krepps and Marilla Park pools in Morgantown.
“Were victims to the weather when it happens and I’m sure that was part of it, we just didn’t have a very good second half of the season,” BOPARC Executive Director Melissa Wiles.
Even though the first half of the summer was busy, Wiles surmised the above-average precipitation in July and August kept swimmers away or sent them to the Mylan Park Aquatic Center or searching for other activities. Metronews Accuweather recorded 5.69 inches of rain in August and another 5.11 inches of rain in July.
Season pass purchases were down while daily admissions increased and operating costs were as expected for 2022. Wiles told the board in 2021 the pools generated about a $2,000 profit for the year.
“We did have to raise our lifeguard wages because there is a shortage of lifeguards and we’re in a very competitive market at this point,” Wiles said.
Wiles speculated that in addition to the weather keeping swimmers away, economic pressures were also a factor. Gas prices in West Virginia peaked in June at $4.93 while the inflation rate hit a 40-year high.
“I’m sure going to the pool is considered an extra activity that you could cut out of your budget if you need to,” Wiles said.
Wiles told the board some of the receipts could have been miscoded at the point of purchase. She explained the summer staff is tasked with many different duties and an error could be an answer to part of the loss.
“I would like to dig further into the actual coding when we translate that to our accounting system to make sure that coding is correct,” Wiles said.