The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Last Thursday night the joint board for the New Pool Project had a open public meeting to inform and get an idea if people were interested or had questions about this project. About 30 people attended the meeting. Shaud Schwarzbach started out the meeting saying, ”We want to get information out and see if there is an interest for this pool and make the public aware of what it all will entail.”

The board invited speakers, Lorrie Merrill from Big Sandy Activities, Leah Griffith from Big Sandy Medical Center, and Kurt Strutz from Strutz on Physical Therapy. Lorrie Merrill talked about how a new pool would help in and improve the quality of life for the clients at BSA and stressed that the current pool was not equipped to handle their needs now. She stressed how important it is for wheelchair bound clients to be able to get physical exercise, stating, “Physical fitness is important for maintaining physical fitness and can contribute positively to maintaining a healthy weight, building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility, promoting physiological well-being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthens the immune system. “ She spoke about how this pool would be a great thing for her clients and how it would help them.

Leah Griffith spoke on behalf of the fitness and well-being of our whole community, “Big Sandy Medical Center is always looking to improve the health and fitness of our community, like working with the school by using the fob system at the school for the weight room and gym, to bringing in Weight Watchers. The pool is another way to bring more healthy opportunity to our community.” The elderly in the community would benefit by this pool for exercise to better their health and mobility. Kurt Strutz touched on points about injuries to knees and backs and how not everyone is built for a treadmill or a weight room and water is a great alternative.“ Everyone can benefit from the pool. Water is a supportive way to be able to walk, it is resistant to make you stronger.” Kurt also stressed how this pool would benefit everyone in the community. The biggest thing stressed by all the board and speakers was the fact everyone should learn to swim. It is a life lesson and should be taken advantage of by all children and adults.

The pool project will be a joint effort by the school and city. The school owns the land sites that are being considered for the project and it also has the bonding eligibility where the city does not. The city cannot finance on its own. The project will be a joint effort by both the city and the school district. They will take donations and grants to help with the cost of this project. Liability, operations, and maintenance will go to the city. They figure that the cost to tax payers will be about $64.00 per $100,000 home a year for 10 years. This may change, but figures will stay about the same. One of the questions asked at the meeting was if they city could handle the overall cost of maintaining and operating the pool? The answer was yes, however, it would double what it is now. With all the upgrades to the pool system and the turnover rate of the water it will be more efficient.

KLJ was brought in by Rotary, city and school to do the assessments on the two sites being considered. Joe Dooling was at the meeting to talk about the sites and cost. The North site, which is the area by the cemetery, has easier hook ups to water and sewer and the estimated cost is 2.1 million. Site 2, which is by the elementary school, have an estimate cost is 2.3 million. The reason the cost is more is it will be a heavier pool due to the water table. KLJ will sub-contract with a pool company to do the pool build.

For the project to move forward it will be put to a vote. That vote will be decided at the February school board meeting. If passed it will be put on the school district mail ballot in June.