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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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Pool project takes a dive

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Debris sits at the bottom of CSC’s 1961-era pool in Armstrong Gym. The pool was drained and closed in October, 2012. - Photo by T.J. Thomson
Debris sits at the bottom of CSC’s 1961-era pool in Armstrong Gym. The pool was drained and closed in October, 2012. – Photo by T.J. Thomson

Chadron State’s quest to regain pool access for the campus community took a dive Monday when Chadron’s five-member City Council could not reach a consensus to approve a contract with a design firm.

Some council members said they didn’t have enough information to make an informed decision while others didn’t believe the timing was right.

“I feel it’s a little bit out of order and we’re being rushed into it,” Chadron Mayor Karen Fisher said Monday during the council meeting. “We need a little more time before we take action,” she said.

Council member John Gamby moved to introduce the contract so that it could be discussed more fully; however, the motion died as it lacked a second.

If approved, the contract would allow the firm, Burbach Aquatics, Inc., of Platteville, Wis., to provide engineering and financial estimations so that the joint project between the city and the college could continue, CSC Vice President for Administration and Finance Dale Grant said Monday.

“The design firm will allow us to get a scope of what we’re talking about [financially],” Grant said.

Approving a design firm for the project will require the city council to pass a referendum, Chadron’s City Manager Wayne Anderson said Monday in a phone interview.

Chadron City Manager Wayne Anderson speaks during the city council’s Monday evening meeting in the City Offices’ Council Chambers. - Photo by T.J. Thomson
Chadron City Manager Wayne Anderson speaks during the city council’s Monday evening meeting in the City Offices’ Council Chambers. – Photo by T.J. Thomson

“Authorization is needed by the city council to allow the pool committee to do the first phase of the project,” he said.

A 10-member committee selected Burbach Aquatics from four design consultants that submitted proposals, Grant said.

A representative from Burbach is scheduled to arrive in Chadron before the end of January to meet with the pool committee.

“Mr. Burbach has his trip scheduled here at the end of the month to meet the pool committee,” Anderson said.

Anderson added that Burbach has already been in Chadron to inspect the city’s current outdoor pool once before, and that he plans to inspect it again upon his return. Burbach will also conduct a feasibility study that will determine the cost to build and run the pool, Anderson said.

Chadron State has been without pool access since mid-October when it closed its 1961-era pool in Armstrong Gym due to maintenance needs and high operating costs. Grant said in November of 2012 that CSC’s administration considered two options for pool access: a five-lane addition to the NPAC that would cost about $2.2 million or a partnership with the city to enclose its outdoor pool.

The college will continue to pursue a relationship with the city to enclose its outdoor pool, “Assuming the city council goes along with it and they can find funding on their side,” Grant said.