Board discusses low attendance at Aquatic Center

Approximately 20 Senath residents attended last night's meeting of the board of aldermen. All those attending were residents who reside on either North East St. or South East St., which the board had discussed changing to North and South Abie Miller St. at last month's meeting. The residents opposed the name change. [Click to enlarge]

The Kennett Park Board at its Monday meeting discussed the need for a swimming pool cover for the Sheryl Crow Aquatic Center pool, as well as low attendance at the facility during the Labor Day weekend.

"We had eight people on Saturday, none on Sunday and five people Monday," said Executive Director Debby Stokley. "A couple came down from St. Louis and had to swim in this pool.

"The swam for 35 minutes, turned blue, then went home," Stokley quipped. "The pool is officially closed now and everything has been taken down except for the umbrellas. In less than two hours, we had the pool tucked up and ready to go."

Director William Mowrer inquired about duties that needed to be performed during winter months at the facility "so we don't have to scramble as hard" when the pool opens again next season.

The panel discussed increasing the manager's salary for 2007, then dividing that amount between two people. The group noted the facility ran more efficiently when an adult supervised the operation.

The pool cover, which is estimated to cost nearly $6,000, is needed, as well as a new chlorinator for the pool, directors noted. The chlorinator's manufacturer deemed the current chlorination system inadequate, but has been difficult to contact, Stokley said.

"They wanted an electrician to crawl around and run some tests, which he did," Stokley said. "We called and called, but the company won't return our phone calls.

"Brian Coffer bent over backwards to get this done," Stokley added. "We call California, who calls Florida, where the chlorinators are manufactured, and they call back to California. That's where we are now."

The Board voted unanimously to meet with the Pool Committee to determine the next step regarding mechanical issues.

The pool cover's cost is expected to be divided between the Board and the Kennett Community Development Corporation, Director Bruce Gibbons said.

"KCDC has money set aside for that," he said. "They are supposed to go halves with us.

"It might be November before we get it," he added. "But that beats January or February."

Directors noted the Park Board is down to two mowers, but added workers might be able to "limp through the soccer season" with those machines before replacement is necessary.

Directors also turned down a request by a Kennett bank that asked to rent the bleachers at the SCAC for parade tailgating purposes.

In addition, directors voted unanimously to bid out leveling for 17 acres near Indian Park that will eventually serve as soccer fields.

"We should allow Metz [Skelton, city engineer] to tell us how to facilitate drainage for little or no money," Mowrer said. "If we do it in the next couple of months, it won't be that big a deal."

Mowrer said Skelton should be offered time to prepare the project's specifications, and that a deadline of the week of Sept. 25 should be arranged. The motion passed unanimously.

The Park Board's next meeting was changed to 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10 because Columbus Day falls on the regularly scheduled meeting day.

The Board meets at 5:15 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at the Kennett Municipal Building, 200 Cedar St., Kennett.