The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday voted to buy a $60,000 water slide for Potterfield Pool even though some council members said they may face criticism for the decision.
The total cost of the water slide, including installation, is expected to be about $105,000, Finance Director Alfred Martin said.
The city faces a budget shortfall of about $2 million with the next fiscal year, so some residents may question whether the city can afford the slide, Councilman Lewis C. Metzner said.
But he and other council members said the purchase was appropriate and justified.
Councilman N. Linn Hendershot predicted the water slide will pay for itself within five years due to an increase in pool revenues and pool users.
The vote to buy the slide from Taylor Sports and Recreation of Martinsburg, W.Va., was 4-1, with Councilman Kristin Aleshire opposed.
