HUMBOLDT — USA Pools, Roswell, Ga., will manage Humboldt’s swimming pool this summer. IN OTHER business:
USA Pools proposed in January to manage the pool for $45,730, nearly $9,000 less than Humboldt had set aside in its budget for this year.
City Attorney Fred Works and council members had questions about management that the Georgia firm answered to their satisfaction, before a 6-1 vote approved the contract. Mark Slater cast the negative vote; Jo Ann Roether was absent.
Essentially, no changes will be made in charges or ways the pool is managed, with savings coming mainly from USA Pools being able to purchase chemicals and other things cheaper than the city, through economy of scale. The company manages about 400 pools throughout the nation.
USA Pools agreed to provide swimming lessons at the previous cost of $5 per child; take care of swimming meets and practice sessions for the Humboldt team; set aside a time for lessons for Moran children bused to the pool; provide on-site management and all chemicals and other things needed to operate the pool; fill lifeguard and other jobs locally. As for concessions, the management firm will provide whatever the council prefers, which will be decided later.
Basically, the only change will be the face of management.
Vada Aikins made the motion to hire USA Pools for one year, with succeeding years to be decided after an assessment of the first year.
— A sign emblazoned with the Logan Pals 4-H Club logo will greet visitors to Humboldt. Council members approved erection of two of the signs, one at the south edge of town on old U.S. 169 and the other on K-224 at the north edge.
Tommy Schoendaller, a member of the club, drew praise from council members for his presentation urging acceptance of the signs.
— All new gas service lines and those replaced will have excess gas flow valves attached.
City Administrator Larry Tucker said cost to consumers would be $100, to cover cost of valves and installation. The valves are a safety device. Tucker said eventually the valves might be required on existing service lines.
— Repair of a jet rodder machine, used to clear under-street drainage and sewer lines, was tabled for more information.
Tucker said the 15-year-old machine’s motor needed replaced. He noted a diesel rather than gasoline motor might be better and provide more power.
That elicited comments from several in the audience who questioned whether spending $9,000 to $15,000 for an engine was wise for an older machine. The thought was that the pumping mechanism likely was near the end of its useful life.
— Mayor Nobby Davis appointed Staci Johnson assistant city clerk.
— Council members were given copies of three chapters of city codes to review before their March 11 meeting. Humboldt is in the process of revising its codes — the first time since 1988 — to remove redundancies and to simply.
Humboldt hires Georgia firm to manage pool
