May 21, 2026
Daily use of Franklin Pool will cost $3 when it opens this Memorial Day weekend. Jonathan Rich / Brevard Beagle.com
By Jonathan Rich
BrevardBeagle.com
At the most recent Brevard City Council meeting, city leaders made the unanimous decision to increase daily use fees for Franklin Pool when it opens for use this Memorial Day weekend.
Finance Director and Assistant City Manager Dean Luebee told council that as part of work on the 2026-27 budget, his research indicated that the daily use fee at Franklin Pool had not been increased in at least a decade and that of six other neighborhood public municipal pools in the area all but one of them charge $4 or $5 for one day of use.
The city currently has a contract with Swim Club Management of Asheville to operate the facility within Franklin Park, and Luebee said raising the daily fee $1 could provide for other changes in the overall proposed city budget for the next fiscal year.
“Alternatively, if we leave it at $2, we’ll have to find an additional $12,000 in the budget,” Luebee explained.
City Council members Lauren Wise and Aaron Baker did not throw cold water on that theory, but instead reluctantly warmed up to the idea that the rate increase was somewhat necessary.
“I think it is important to note this will yield a $12,000 savings to what we are spending $72,000 on. Not that we’re netting a profit in any way. Not that we are recouping all of our fees, not that we’re trying to do any of that,” Wise said. “This is just so that we can hopefully lessen the burden in some other places as well.”
“The fees currently charged at the pool don’t cover the full cost. Not anywhere close,” said Mayor Pro Tem Baker. “It’s currently $72,000 that the general fund is paying for the management of the pool.”
“I don’t like to think about raising this fee, but I think given the financial situation we’re in and the amount of money that we’re spending from the general fund already and given what you just said about surrounding pools charging an even higher amount,” Baker subsequently added during the continued discussion on the rate increase. ‘I think it’s just something that needs to be done.”
“This seems like a modest increase to me,” said Councilman Gary Daniel. “I would suggest that next year we look at going up another incremental dollar. Maybe not go to five, but I could see four in a year or two.”
“To that point, I’d be interested in seeing how many folks are utilizing it and whether or not that goes down or goes up with the raised fee to inform us next time,” said Councilman Dean Lytle. “That’ll be great to see.”
With unanimous passage of the rate increase Monday night, the daily fee will be $3 when Franklin pool opens to the public on Saturday:
Memorial Day Weekend Schedule:
Saturday, May 23, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, May 24, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Monday, May 25, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
*The pool will operate only on weekends from May 26 through June 7 and after Aug. 9 with the exception of Labor Day on Sept. 7.