At their meeting Tuesday, July 5, the Mount Ayr city council received a project review and tentative timeline leading to the opening of a new municipal swimming pool at Judge Lewis Park.
Andrew Pennekamp with JEO Consulting reviewed design concepts, resident feedback, funding sources, and a project time line leading up to a new pool being open for business by May 2025.
Pennekamp reported that surveys soliciting public feedback had received 168 total responses. Of those responses, 68 percent preferred building a brand new pool at the site of the current pool rather than rehabilitating the existing pool.
Additional steps prior to the November referendum include finalizing the bond amount, application for $300,000 to $600,000 in grants, and planning for fund-raising for any amount not covered by the bond and grants.
In a related matter, city administrator Brent Wise shared with the council two deficiencies identified in the latest pool inspection.
The first claimed the pool was below the required skim level. Wise said workers were in the process of adding water as the inspector arrived.
The second regarded non-functioning underwater lights. Wise that problem has already been fixed.
[More from the council meeting will appear next week.]
