City still working with insurance company
By Bert Lehman
The Clintonville municipal outdoor swimming pool likely will not open this summer.
Clintonville City Administrator Chuck Kell told the Clintonville City Council, at its April 12 meeting, that he is still working with the insurance company regarding the damage caused by the fire in late December.
“Right now, they have come up with a total of about $47,000 of reimbursement for actual cost on that,” Kell said. “That’s for the building.”
Kell added that Justin Mc Auly, Parks and Recreation director for the city of Clintonville, had also submitted a request of around $25,000 for replacement of the contents in the building. Kell said in his most recent contact with the insurance company, the city was being offered $5,700.
“We don’t understand what’s going on there,” Kell said. “That doesn’t even replace the handicap assessable lift that was at the pool that was burned.”
Estimates for some plumbing and electrical work were still needed to be obtained by the insurance company.
Kell also told the council that the insurance company hasn’t been able to find a contractor that is willing to replace the roof on the building that was damaged by the fire. It’s a concrete slab roof that has been cracked and damaged by the fire.
“I don’t know where that leaves us,” Kell said.
Kell said he and Mc Auly have met regarding the pool and neither one of them feel the pool will be able to be opened this summer.
“We are going to be well into summer before that building is completed, if we do it,” Kell said.
The Ad Hoc Pool Committee also agreed that it is best to keep the pool closed this summer and work on a plan for the future of the pool, Kell said.
Mc Auly addressed the council about the state of the swimming pool, other than the fire damage.
He said a lot of the equipment for the swimming pool is 30 years old, which is beyond the life expectancy of the equipment. He said it will take about $7,100 to replace items that need replacing in the filtration system and valves. He said his budget for system maintenance is $3,974.
“I don’t have it in my operating budget to fix everything,” Mc Auly said.
He pointed out there are other things that could go wrong with the pool and need fixing.
Kell said he intends to push the insurance company, possibly to get the pool classified as a complete loss.
“I think that roof issue is going to have a lot to do with that,” Kell said. “But we’re not at a position yet where we can really do anything.”
Kell asked the council for its thoughts.
Alderman Brad Rokus said this season may be a loss, but the council needs to know the full scope of what the insurance company is willing to do before a change in direction is approved.
Alderwoman Mary-Beth Kuester asked what the insurance company would give the city if it didn’t make the repairs to the burn-damaged building.
Kell said 20 to 25 percent less of what the replacement cost is.
“You get less money if you don’t rebuild,” Kells said.
Rehab funds
Kell also informed the council about rehabilitation agency funds that are available to the city.
According to the city auditors the fund was created around 1990 or before. Kell said he thinks it is money provided by the state or federal government, but he isn’t sure. The auditors also don’t know where the money came from.
Kell said the auditors told him they will not close the fund to the general fund, but would like the city to spend the money.
There is $47,000 in the rehabilitation agency fund.
Kell recommended the city use the money to do a swimming pool study which would cost around $10,000, a citizen survey which would cost around $7,000, and update the city’s website. There was no cost given for the website.
Alderwoman Jeannie Schley, who was also the chairwoman of the Finance Committee, told the council that the previous day the Finance Committee approved a pool study up to $10,000. She said the committee didn’t approve funding a citizen survey because the Clintonville School District will be doing a survey shortly regarding the elementary school facility.
After some discussion a motion was made and seconded to approve up to $10,000 for a pool study and allocate the remaining balance of the fund to a citizen survey and updating the city website. The motion was defeated 4-6.
Alderwoman Gloria Dunlavy made a new motion, which was seconded, to approve up to $10,000 for a pool study and up to $30,000 to update the city website. It passed 8-2 with Kuester and Alderman Jim Krause voting not.
Special revenue fund
At the council meeting, the council approved creating a special revenue fund for the municipal pool planning, design and construction. Krause voted no.