Restrooms eliminated in pool cuts
An extra $7,000 is needed for an outdoor restroom facility near the Jungle Jym.
The shortfall comes after McMinnville officials hacked away more than $400,000 in construction costs from the city’s new outdoor pool. The contract for new pool construction, approved officially Monday, made no provisions for outdoor restrooms priced at about $22,000.
Excluding restrooms is the result of reducing costs after bids came in for the new pool a few weeks ago. After it was learned bids were too high for the city’s $2 million budget, city officials arranged a meeting with the pool architect and the proposed lowest-bidder contractor to scale back expenses.
The total, as approved Monday, is $2.03 million. Officials had previously estimated a $300,000 reduction, but were unsure about costs of the restrooms and other items. They had more specific information Monday.
Officials said they wanted to maintain the quality of the pool and its necessary facilities, but whittled away at other features such as decorative fencing, stainless steel piping, kitchen equipment, metal roofing, a pavilion, a tennis court walkway, changes to the parking lot – as well as the restroom. The facility itself will have showers and rest rooms.
Parks and Recreation Director Carlene Brown told members of the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting Monday before official board approval that there was $15,000 in a “Friends of the Jungle Jym” account that could potentially be used to help with costs of constructing the restrooms.
“I realistically see that as an item we can add back,” Brown said. “The contract, as of right now, which was presented to them excludes the Jungle Jym bathrooms. It excludes a lot of things.”
City Administrator Herb Llewellyn said the extra $7,000 is something that may be supported in the upcoming budget, which will be finalized this summer. He and other city officials also made mention of the city’s desire to suggest local fund-raisers, where certain play features in the pool could have corporate sponsors, potentially reducing costs further.
“Whatever we can do to lower costs, that’s what we’re going to do,” Llewellyn said.
Aldermen Rickey Jones and Jimmy Bonner voted “nay” to approving the contract.