City would need to spend $1.4 million to get pool up to code

In October the DCI had an article describing the condition of the Kasson municipal pool and options available. The city has been "Band-aiding" the pool for as long as possible and now they are to the point where the baby pool will not open at all next summer due to expensive repairs required to reach compliance.

  At a city council meeting in December  Mayor Tim Tjosaas gave the board a list of required repairs to bring the pool up to code. USA Aquatics gave an itemized request  with a subtotal of $1,160,000.  Add on  "soft costs" of $240,000 to the estimate and the total repair estimates come to $1.4 million.

  Due to the anticipated cost of repairs the city and park and recreation director Ron Unger have a plan in place to have a new pool at the present North Park site by the summer of 2013.

  The current pool has had a capacity of 202 since 1982.  To meet ADA handicap accessibility standards would be very expensive.

  Rick and Tom Schaffer from USAquatics will do a presentation on the proposed Kasson Aquatic Center Wednesday night. The plan for a new pool is a close match to the Stewartville plan with the exception the water park will be a separate pool from the pool/diving area. If one were to be shut down for health reasons chances are the other one could still be operational.

  Council member Lorraine Hopkins said the plan has a "wow" factor and "ouch" factor when considering the facility will be used only 13 weeks of the year. Council members Mike Marti and Sheldon Torkelson said they were undecided and commented they were willing to let the public decide.

  Council member Matt Nelson did say the current pool has lost an average of $55,000 over the last four years. He also suggested that sinking $1.4 million into the facility could be like throwing money away.

  "The biggest ouch would be spending $1.4 million for a fix," said Mayor Tim Tjosaas. "I hope it passes with flying colors. We need it."

  Maggie Fitch, who is with Just Like Home Daycare, said the new facility would be a great benefit to the daycares. "We bring  50-60 kids up there a day in the summer," she said.

  Ron Unger said they get quite a few phone calls that something is not right with the pool. Also, city employee Lester Meyer is constantly up there "babying" the pool and doing some type of repair, added Unger.

  City administrator Randy Lenth asked the representatives from USAquatics about the possibility of installing solar panels on the facility. They said that was possible and would come up with a scheme.

  The tentative cost of a new pool is $2.8 million, consisting of 4,845 square feet of water surface with a bather capacity of 268 and the swimming pool will have 4,743 square feet of water surface with a bather capacity of 302 for a total capacity of 570.

  The amenities for the aquatic center include water slides, shallow water play elements, lap lanes, an aqua climb and out of water amenities such as shade areas, sunning areas, concessions, family change rooms and locker areas. There will also be an interactive play element in the recreational pool area.

  Wednesday night the council adopted a resolution calling for an election on $2.8 million in general obligation bonds to construct a new aquatic center. The special election will be Tuesday, April 3. More facts and figures as to tax impact will be available at a later date. If approved by voters tentative construction would be September of 2012.