01/03/1995SWIMMING POOL COMMITTEE MEETING
January 3, 1995
The Swimming Pool Committee met in special session, Tuesday, January 3,
1995, 4:00 P. M., City Council Chambers, City Hall, Paris, Texas.
Chairman Eric Clifford called the meeting to order with the following
members present: Charles Fulbright, Jean Campbell, and Jim Chadwick.
Also present was City Manager, Michael E. Malone, City Attorney, T. K.
Haynes, and City Clerk, Mattie Cunningham.
Chairman Clifford announced that the meeting was called for the purpose
of receiving a report concerning size and cost of the proposed swimming
pool.
Dick Boots, Director of Facilities, came forward reporting that there
is a choice of two types of swimming pools one "L" shaped and one "T"
shaped pools with both of those you will have 25 meters by 25 yards, 6
lanes which you are talking about 25 yards, it will be 42'x 75' one
way. The "T" shaped pool would be 42' x 821, it will have a separate
wadding pool, separate filtration system, it will include a small
ticket office, or combination ticket office and office for staff, rest
area whatever you want to do for your guards, restrooms and
concessions, covered sun deck, and parking area consisting of 20 to 25
spaces. Mr. Boots said they really needed to discuss the parking
because the majority of population of the pool are drop -offs, you do
not need a great deal of parking spaces, but you will have times that
there will be reservations, procedures for parties, or competitive swim
team workouts that we may need additional parking spaces, and suggested
that the City go with a larger parking lot than 20 to 25 spaces.
Mr. Boots said the estimated cost depending on some things that may
vary such as parking, it will be approximately $350,000.00 for the pool
not including the land.
Chairman Clifford advised that there is some availability for a
matching grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and
advised that he had requested Tommy Haynes to bring to this meeting the
information regarding the grant.
Mr. Boots pointed out that their grading is based on the point system
with the Parks and Wildlife, they may have 150 applications from cities
and counties, and they get so many points for the needs you have, and
one thing that you get more points for is a multipurpose type facility,
and we would get more points if we had a sand volleyball court, or
something of that nature.
Tommy Haynes was present telling the Committee that they had already
touched base with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the next
deadline for filing an application is January 31st, then July 31st.
Mr. Haynes said that if we go for the January 31st deadline it will be
August 1995 before they award the grant which means sometimes in July
or August of 1996 before we would get a swimming pool. If we wait
until the July 31st deadline, it will be early 1996 before it is
awarded and will be in 1997 before it will be ready for use. Mr.
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Jan. 3, 1995
Haynes said if we get the match which is a very competitive grant
application the maximum is one million dollars which the City would
have to furnish 50% of that which part of that could be in land, but
there is no minimum amount required for the application. Mr. Haynes
said we do have the packet and we do know how to fill out the
application.
Mr. Boots advised that we would have to come up with the location of
the swimming pool by January 31st.
Chairman Clifford told the Committee that he had talked to Dick and
Tommy prior to Christmas, and the property that the City has out on the
Loop and Clement Road is very highly visible, excisable to all parts of
town, and if we put an entrance into that 4 1/2 acres off of Clement
Road,and said that would be his first choice because we do have the
site, also the value of the land would go towards the City's 50% of the
grant, and this site would be his recommendation.
Mr. Chadwick pointed out that consideration should be given to a indoor
recreational facility, that this area would also work for that.
Mr. Boots again advised the Committee that for the development we are
estimating it at $350,000.00, approximate cost of land $150,000.00 so
you are talking about total project cost of $500,000.00, all the city
is responsible for is 50% which the City would be responsible for
$250,000.00, and the State would be responsible for $250,000.00, and
the City's portion would have $150,000.00 taken off for the property,
so we are talking about a $500,000.00 swimming pool project cost, and
actual cost for the City of Paris would be $100,000.00. Mr. Boots said
a change that has been made this year is "Sponsor in public owned
non -park land ", the land in question has never been dedicated, plated,
managed, or required for public parks and recreational use; therefore,
the entire amount could be used for a park.
Mr. Boots pointed out that we have got to hire an Engineering Firm at
some point down the road to design the pool, to design what we want.
Mr. Boots said that he has talked to a Consultant with the Brannon
Corporation because this is the name that was given to him by the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Deparatment, which they have done numerous grants in
the East Texas area, so I was looking for a source of information, and
when I started talking to these people, they explained what the
situation was, we can do the application ourselves, or them, it would
take us a while because we are not familiar with that application, and
after talking to them, that application process is part of their job if
they are hired as a Consultant Engineering, if a contract between the
City and that firm is done, then part of their fee is for writing the
application. Mr. Boots said we would would have to contact an
engineering firm and set up an agreement with them anyway, so why get
them on this phase because they have a 12% maximum cap with the Parks
and Wildlife, that is 12% of construction cost. Mr. Boots advised that
there are several thing that are important here, if they do this
application, and we are accepted, and for some reason we want to go
with another firm it is going to cost $4,000.00, but if we go with that
firm, that is included the 12% matching funds. Mr. Boots told the
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Jan. 3, 1995
Committee that 96% of the grants that this firm has applied for in
connection with other municipalities have been accepted either on the
first or second attempt.
Mr. Boots further advised that there are several thing that we have to
have in the application, one is a Master Plan for Parks and Recreation
Department, which we do not have, and this firm will do that if we
supply them the information, and the mapping, so for less than a
$1,000.00 we can get a Parks and Recreation Department Master Plan for
the City of Paris. The second thing we have to have, not through the
City Council, I can hold them myself, three public hearings between now
and January 20th, advertise in the newspaper for citizens input on what
they would like to see in Recreational Facilities in Paris, and report
back to the Committee. We have to do this in order to fill out a
portion of the application. The City Council will have to authorize an
resolution authorizing the application, and we have to have the pool
location set. We also need to recommend to the Council that we go with
the Brannon Corporation as soon as possible because these people will
need to start as soon as possible getting things together on this.
Mr. Boots told the Committee that there would also be a public hearing
Monday, January 9, 1995 at 6:00 P. M. to hear citizens input concerning
the grant with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for a municipal
swimming pool.
After further discussion, a motion was made by Councilman Fulbright,
seconded by Mr. Chadwick to recommend to the City Council to execute
the grant application, hire the Brannon Corporation to do this project,
and designate the City's property on the N. E. Loop 286 as the site for
the swimming pool. The motion carried unanimously.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
ERIC CLIFFORD, CHAIRMAN
ATTEST:
MATTIE CUNNINGHAM, CITY CLERK