Hot tub help

SOUTH PORTLAND — A decade after it broke down, the public hot tub at the South Portland Community Center may finally get fixed.

Mayor Tom Blake said a “very small committee” of residents and city staffers held its first meeting Monday with an eye toward raising the repair money city councilors have repeatedly resisted adding to the annual budget.

“It [the hot tub] has major issues and it’s a big expenditure,” said Blake. “It’s just not a priority for us at this time.”

Blake said the plan is to raise money from private sources over the next year, possibly augmented by a modest city match, to buy a new hot tub, although some research will be done to verify whether the old tub is beyond repair.

“I’m appealing to the general public,” said Blake, at Monday’s Council meeting. “We’re looking for one or two people, and maybe a couple of businesses, who would like to join us on this committee.”

Blake said anyone interested in joining or aiding the hot tub committee should contact him or Parks Director Rick Towle through the city website.

“I think we all know Maine is the oldest state in the nation,” said Blake, referring to a recent study that fixed the median age at 42. “So, here in South Portland, we certainly need a working hot tub.”