City seeks more bids on needed pool repairs

The Cairo City Council concurred with Cairo city manager Chris Addleton that obtaining additional bids on making repairs to the Holder Park Pool are needed so that it can open for the 2019 summer season.

The city spent approximately $26,000 on repairs last year, but according to the city manager, additional work will be required in order for the Southwest Georgia Public Health District to agree to issue a permit for the pool to open.

The bid for the necessary work received from Irwin & Mahaffey Construction Company of Watkinsville, which originally constructed the pool,  was $82,000. “It’s a lot higher than I anticipated. I had thought it would be between $50,000 and $60,000,” Addleton said Monday night. That does not include another $6,000 bid for repairs to the pool bath house.

Addleton said he had requested community services director Pat Mitchell to solicit additional quotes.

Removal of rough edges from the pool surface are the concerns for district health officials.

Last summer, crews with Irwin & Mahaffey replaced broken tiles and sanded the sides and bottom of the shallow end of the pool to remove rough edges from the pool surface. District health officials say the same must be done to the deep end of the pool before a permit will be issued and the pool permitted to open this summer.

Councilman James H. (Jimmy) Douglas asked if the work could be done by someone who is not in the pool business, but specializes in masonry work.

Councilman Jerry Cox also requested information on the projected life of the pool if the repairs were made.

Addleton said he did not know if the work could be done by others and he said he thought the repairs would last for up to five years or longer.

The city council has been weighing the decision to replace the pool with a splash pad facility or to continue operating the pool. The city, county and school system have partnered and appropriated Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax proceeds for the construction of an aquatic center at Cairo High School.

The school system is currently in the process of having plans for the new facility drawn and project cost estimates devised.

Some city officials have said there would not be a need for the Holder Park pool if a new aquatic center, open to the public, was constructed at CHS. Officials say they are committed to offering recreational activities at the city park in southwest Cairo such as a splash pad.

In other business Monday night, the council:

Voted 4-0 to authorize Mayor Booker Gainor to sign an application for Local Maintenance Improvement Grant supplemental funding for safety improvements. According to the city manager, Cairo is eligible for $44,400, but a 30 percent match is required. Addleton has identified 5.5 miles of improvements in all four sections of the city that the additional state funding could be used to improve. Councilman Demario Byrden was absent again Monday night, due to training for his full-time employment.

Approved a special event permit for the Jackie Robinson Boys and Girls Club 5K Run/Walk to be held May 11, 2019 beginning at 8 a.m. at Holder Park.

Approved an alcoholic beverage application for Jennifer Outwater, who is doing business as Brasington Place & Blue Bistro. The application is for beer and wine retail consumption on premises. The business is located at 7 Third Ave. S.E.

Approved using Bob Roberson & Associates and Watkins & Associates as the grant administrator and consulting engineer for the 2019 Community Development Block Grant funding cycle.

Heard an update from Addleton on the new Cairo Police Department headquarters project. According to the city manager, bids will be opened on March 26 and a not-to-exceed project cost would be presented to the council on April 8. The city manager said ground breaking for the project would occur in late April or early May with a completion date of February or March 2020.

Met for nearly an hour behind closed doors. Topics discussed included a personnel matter, potential litigation and acquisition of real estate. No action was taken as a result of the closed session.

Conducted a brief budget workshop. Addleton requested the council notify him of any capital expenditures they would like included in the 2019-2020 budget. The city manager noted that a number of capital projects in the current budget would not be completed this fiscal year and would be rolled over into the new fiscal year. Councilman Douglas asked if the project to loop the new airport water plant with the elevated water tank at Hilltop was being programmed into the budget. Addleton said that the city’s consulting engineer was developing a project cost and it would more than likely be a 2020-2021 budget item.