A Few Good Men to Tackle Sonoma's Public Pool Dreams

In the interest of promoting greater flexibility and fewer public disclosure mandates, the Sonoma City Council voted Monday to disband their official "Swimming Pool Committee" in favor of forming more flexible and dedicated informal group.

"We are not moving forward, and the way that it's structured now - as a council committee - is really preventing us from achieving our goal," said Councilperson Ken Brown, who placed the item on the meeting agenda.

Originally, officials hoped might fund a public pool. But with Gov. Jerry Brown's state budget holding redevelopment money in flux, the pool project will require more long term planning, with a more creative funding stream.

"You hear around the country, there's no pool with no funding, but we need to be a bit more innovative where others have tried," said Councilperson Tom Rouse. Rouse, who project as one of his main campaign goals, suggested looking at sponsorship and corporate placement, rather than solely focusing on tax-funded models.

Members say the formality of the group's status makes it logistically difficult to look at creative models without "Brown-acting everything."

"Right now, if we wanna rent a van and take a bunch of people up to Calistoga to look at models of great public pools...right now, we can't do that," said Rouse. "Let's just let a few guys who want to move this thing forward move it forward."

"I think when we get a lot closer a committee would be a fine thing, and a Brown-act committee especially," said Brown. 

Regardless of committee-status, members of the public said they still long for an affordable place to swim during the summer months.

"I swim every day at , but it's $68: for the people who can't afford it, it's sad," said David Cook.

But Herb Golenpaul, a regular face at Sonoma council meetings, took the changes in stride.

"If the people on the committee don't want it, we don't need it," said Golenpaul.

Both Rouse and Brown said the new 'unofficial' committee is open to imput and new dedicated members.