Pool may not be doomed, assures Kirk
“So we want to spend money we don’t have to waste water we don’t have to build something we don’t want.” –Richie Wells
BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Martin County Fiscal Court hosted another public meeting Tuesday to take public comments on the court’s proposal to fill in the Martin County Swimming Pool and install a splash park.
Comments at the meeting along with comments submitted in writing by June 21 will be included in the grant application submitted to Land and Water Conservation.
When citizens in attendance voiced concerns about the operating costs of the splash park, Kirk revealed that the project is based on a similar splash park in Wayne county which costs just under $9,000 to operate annually.
Taking the higher water and sewage rates in Martin County, the application estimates annual costs under $10,000 per year, “nearly a fifth as much as the operating costs of the former Martin County swimming pool,” according to the application.
This cost covers an estimated 189 gallons of water used per minute of operation for the new splash park. The current proposal does not recycle water, cutting chemical treatment costs compared to a pool or larger splash park.
The splash park will not require trained lifeguard staff to operate and will have low enough operating costs to make the facility free and open to the public.
Inez Mayor Ed Daniels echoed the concerns of many in the community that the splash park will not be used by adults and that losing the pool would be a detriment to the community.
“That pool up there… that man right there probably learned to swim in it,” Daniels said. “I would like to keep both of them if it would be feasible.”
The Land and Water Conservation Fund application requests $122,787 in funding to match $122,787 of Martin County’s coal severance funds.
According to Kirk, if the county receives the grant, the county will take bids and proposals for the final project. This means that many of the proposed design elements, such as filling in the swimming pool are not required in the final design.
Kirk stressed multiple times that leaving the pool was a possibility, even if this funding is attained.
The meeting was livestreamed on the Mountain Citizen Facebook page by Citizen correspondent Nora Ray, who read aloud for the record several comments from viewers.
“We’re in the headlines every week for water shortages,” read a comment from Inez City Commissioner Richie Wells. “We have a money shortage. So we want to spend money we don’t have to waste water we don’t have to build something we don’t want.
“Ninety percent of our citizens are opposed to this,” the comment from Wells concluded.
“I appreciate their comments,” said Kirk.
After a moment of thought, Kirk pointed out that the project will take at least two or three years since they are seeking federal funding.
Even though Alliance Water Resources Manager Craig Miller has stated it would take 10 years to correct the water loss problem in Martin County, Kirk and his team hope it will have improved by the time the project would begin.
“We can’t let that hold us back from trying to go after things like having a swimming pool, even,” Kirk said.