Over $50,000 in cash raised for new pool

September brought the Town of Ekalaka's restricted cash account for the swimming pool to $50,013.60! These funds plus the others of $108,531.43 in pool committee funds, $11,945.20 from the Lions Club, and $12,003.06 from Meadowlark Club bring the total to $182,493.29. When that is added to the $150,000 grant from Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, there is a total of $332,493.29 available to build a new pool in Ekalaka.

Also, many community members and property owners have recently asked what a tax levy for the construction of a swimming pool would cost. Below are some calculations from November of 2016.

If a levy of $600,000 was ran over five years, for example, on a 9,800 acre operation with 2,485 tillable acres, 6,265 acres in grazing, 1,045 in hay land and remaining acres being farmstead with improvements (houses, barns, shops, etc.) and personal property (farm equipment) all included for a total market value of $2,005,812.00, the estimated levy would cost $84.91. The total cost for five years would be $424.55. That is less than $500.00 total!

For a property with a market value of $100,000, the cost would be $3.24 per year, or $16.20 total in additional taxes over the course of five years.

If you feel that you would be willing to pay these additional taxes so that a child's life may be saved from drowning, please contact-by phone, mail or email-Carter County Commissioners, Jim Courtney, Steve Rosencranz, and Rod Tauck to inform them. They need to hear from community members and taxpayers that this facility is needed and wanted in this community. If you don't make the call, who will? This is your community. It's time to take action.

The Town of Ekalaka and new pool committee acknowledges and thanks those who have recently made donations to the Town's Restricted Cash - New Pool Account as listed below:

Individuals & Business Donations

Main Street Market; Ella Voise; Class of 1967; and donations made through the Town's GO FUND ME web page. Since the donations with GO FUND ME were listed as anonymous, names are not being released in case that was the intent of the donor. However, those donations are very much appreciated!

In Memory of Argaylon King

The Family of Argaylon King; Jef & Lisa Jourdan; D.P. & Monte Lou Munro; Shane & Jennifer Peabody; and Garth & Myrna Tooke

In Memory of Celia Yates

Jerry & Betty Cline; Cassidy & Tandi Jesperson