City holds key to pool recovery

DAYTON–Columbia County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) hosted a second Community Concerns on October 21 at 6 p.m. Two issues were discussed: The Pool and the Fairgrounds Indoor Arena.

The pool is basically a City of Dayton issue. Mayor Zac Weatherford stated that the City cannot afford a pool and it would be up to the citizens to pass a levy if needed. After the City Council decided in 2018 to close the pool, a Committee known as Friends of the Pool was formed.

This Committee is looking for some grants to do feasibility studies. Mayor Weatherford emphasized that a feasibility study does not mean anything is going to happen other than looking to see if it’s possible. Although the City has a good working relationship with the committee, the committee has taken the lead. However, the City can qualify for grants that the Friends of the Pool cannot get. Vicki Zoller stated that the Friends of the Pool meets in the Delany Room of the Library on the last Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited. Zoller emphasized that they do not want to build something that cannot be maintained.

Regardless of what is eventually built, the feasibility study will help determine if it can be maintained. Two designs are hoped for in the feasibility study: year-round pool with a community center, or strictly a year-round pool. Zoller reported that the bank account has $6,000 which came from both grants and donations. It is not the intent to create something that will cost the city a lot of money. The committee is looking at options for maintenance.

At this point, it is predicted that for summer of 2020, people who want to swim will be bussed to Prescott again. The Commissioners pointed out that if Initiative 976 is passed by Washington State voters, there will not be any money to bus people to Prescott!

In the indoor arena at the fairgrounds, new footing was put in before the fair. During the fair, there wasn’t a good plan for maintenance, and the result was wood chips and straw mixed in with the footing. Although a temporary part time employee used a lot of hours to help get ready for the fair, at a certain point volunteers were used afterwards. The arena didn’t get cleaned right away and weeds sprouted. With the help of volunteers (to include a crew from Department of Corrections), the arena did finally get cleaned up.

When the footings were constructed, a clear plan to use rubber mats with the wood chips was devised, but there wasn’t a clear line of communication in getting this process done correctly. It is the hope that future arena maintenance protocol to have the area rolled with the rubber mats to contain the wood chips and sand is conveyed.

Other fairground concerns are: There is a need for more room between different animal groups. It has been difficult getting rid of the chips and mold. The footings need to be safe and consistent for use of the arena. And, there is confusion as to when the arena is available to rent. Not having access to the arena is costing money in lost rent revenue.

The next BOCC Community Concerns session will be held at 311 East Main in Dayton on Monday, November 18 at 6 p.m.