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$300,000 needed for bathhouse at pool
BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER
MONTEREY - The Highland County Recreation Commission said Tuesday it has enough money to build the swimming pool next year, but it doesn't have the money to build a bathhouse to go with it.
The commission has $110,000 in grants from the Department of Conservation and Recreation and $110,000 in cash. The only bid that came in, from National Pools, is for $239,000. The extra $19,000 would be easy enough to come up with through calling in pledges and further fund-raising, members said. But there's not enough money to pay for an adjoining bathhouse that could cost as much as $300,000.
Commission treasurer Maggie Cavell said the commission has a "very active fund-raising" program for next year. A golf tournament is planned for May 4 at The Homestead. The Homestead may also host a skeet shoot to help the commission raise money for the pool.
The commission is working on a three-day horseback ride for the July 4 weekend, too. The Blue Grass Ruritans may have a horseshoe tournament to aid the project.
But the commission acknowledges these events would still not be enough to cover the cost of building a bathhouse. "We want money to come from outside the county," said chair Sherry Sullenberger. She asked members to consider asking businesses that do business in Highland County to contribute.
Supervisor Jerry Rexrode said he was pleased with the plans, but wondered where the money would come from to pay for the bathhouse.
Sullenberger asked, "How do we continue with this project if we don't have all the money in a bank account? Will the county foot that while fund-raising goes on? We don't want to use taxpayers' dollars. No one wants to use taxpayers' dollars if it can be done otherwise. But what are we going to do? If we have a pool, but no building, what have we gained?
"We have to be realistic," said Rexrode. "That's my concern. We have to go through steps to encompass a debt to the county - public hearings and everything else."
Cavell said she has investors willing to make large contributions to the project, but they would prefer to do it over a period of time (up to four years). She added she didn't have the details on the investment schedule, but hoped to have it in the next few weeks.
Recognizing that the price of the pool doubled from the original estimate due to changes in the pool design and inflation, Cavell guessed that another $300,000 would be needed to complete the bathhouse.
"We don't have to sit here and have $500,000 or $600,000 before we start this," she said. "That's unrealistic." She added the bid for the pool at $239,000 and the possible cost of a building at $300,000 to arrive at her figures of between $500,000 and $600,000.
"We may have to look at raising the money over a period of time," said Rexrode. "I'm looking at a way to do it over a period of time through fees and donations. If you finance over 15 years, the county is going to have to guarantee it any way you go. How you pay it back should be the least burdensome."
Commission member Kirk Billingsley estimated a loan payback on $400,000 at 4.5 percent interest over 15 years would cost roughly $2,400 a month.
Cavell said she hopes pool construction will begin in April or May. "We should know how much we have to raise by then. Now that we have started something, you are going to see more and more community support. We need to go to the civic organizations and express this to them and get more people behind us."
"Our board has to know that this is going to have the county in debt," said Rexrode. "Is the county going to put up money, borrow money, continue fund-raising? The county is going to have to fund some money, now or later."
"I don't think so," said Cavell. "This is what I do for a living. We won't have to go to the taxpayer if we do this smart."
"We've got to decide how the building is going to be paid for, who is going to put up money and go from there," said Rexrode. "You should make sure you have the money in place before you put this out to bids. Your architect will give you an estimate. (Besides that) we still have fencing, lighting and pads to do."
"We are not willing to take on any more than phase one - the pool and bathhouse," said Sullenberger.
"We are down to bare essentials," said Cavell. "You have to have toilets, showers and sinks, a filtration room, electric and water, an office and a concession stand." She said the concession stand would be one of the major sources of income for the pool. "Using concrete block and a flat roof, we have done cutting, but we still have a substantial 50x50 foot building."
The building does not have space for a weight room or physical therapy room, envisioned for a later phase of construction.
The bathhouse has not gone to an architect for design or cost estimation, but Cavell hopes that will happen by the middle of January.
So far, the geotechnical aspects of the pool are finished and paid for, the site preparation is complete and a temporary road is in, said Sullenberger. The commission plans soon to discuss electricity and water connection with Allegheny Power and the town of Monterey.
"We're getting ready for spring construction," said Sullenberger.
Rexrode said he wanted to go with Cavell to Roanoke to talk to the architect about the plans, but he did not set a date for the trip. He said he would recommend to the other supervisors that the board issue a letter of intent and proceed with the pool contract, pending legal review. If the bid is accepted by the county, it goes to DCR for approval due to the grant money DCR contributed to the project.
"I'll recommend we approve the pool bid," said Rexrode. "I'll talk to the other two board members. You are going to have to continue to raise money, a lot of money to meet the deadline."
The pool has to be completed by the end of 2008 to meet grant requirements. One hundred thousand dollars pledged in maintenance money for the next four years may be lost if the pool is not completed by the end of August, Cavell added.
The board of supervisors has until Jan. 20 to decide whether to accept National Pools' bid. The supervisors will meet at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21 at the Highland Modular Conference Center to discuss the pool and bid, in addition to discussing the upcoming state legislative agenda with Sen. Emmett Hanger and Del. Chris Saxman.
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