HOBART | As it begins the search for a new parks director, the Hobart Park Board is wrestling with the question of how long it can afford to have the city's pool and new splash pad open this summer.

An extended discussion of the pool at Monday night's Park Board meeting preceded an abrupt announcement by Finis "Skip" Hanson that he is resigning as park department director.

Hanson said his decision was for personal reasons, but he cited the staffing and budget shortages that have plagued the department.

Amid the grim budget news, Recreation Director Sue Mazepa presented five options to the board, ranging from not opening at all to opening for the full season and reappropriating the revenues from the pool to pay for operations.

Mazepa estimated that with the current budget for pool chemicals and staffing, the department had the money to keep the pool open for 16 days. She suggested that the pool be closed Sundays and Mondays, which she said were the lightest days of the week in attendance.

Mayor Brian Snedecor said that after all the expenses of repairing the pool, it would be problematic not to open it. The city spent $49,000 to replace the pool liner and $74,000 to replace the gutter system in 2007. A new zero-depth splash pad also has been installed in the pool area.

Board member Lynn White said the pool should be open during the 10 weeks that school is out.

Doing some quick math, board member Steve Turner said the budget is $19,000 short of what is needed to operate the pool for the entire summer. White said she thinks officials should be able to make up the difference through the $5 pool admission fee.

Any revenue from the pool would have to be reappropriated by the City Council to go back into pool operations.

Board member John Hevel said he would like to take a closer look at the options before making a decision.

In other business Monday, the board elected its officers for 2008. Eric Allen will serve as president, Maria Galka will be vice president and White will be secretary.