Galesburg City Council on Monday informally decided to proceed with a five-year plan to repair Hawthorne Pool on Monday night, making about $3 million in repairs. The most pressing issues with the pool are the columns and the roof. The pool would be closed this May regardless of their decision, but the council signaled their intent to start repairs to the roof and columns in May. The cost of repairs would be covered by some combination of money from the American Rescue Plan Act, hopeful grant funds, and redirected city spending. Ward 1 Alderman Bradley Hix says that Hawthorne Pool is a valuable asset to the community. "But then we've got a very slim majority on this council that think Churchill is a brilliant idea, which I disagree with," Hix says. "So if we do this we're cutting into Churchill and I hope you're smart enough to realize that." Ward 5 Councilmember Jaclyn Smith-Esters urged citizens that have lobbied the council for months to now lobby
The Save Hawthorne Pool group presented the Galesburg City Council on Feb. 7 a petition signed over 1,200 times by people who want the public pool to stay open.