HUMBOLDT — Humboldt City Council members voted Monday to open the city’s municipal swimming pool June 29.
The opening comes with a couple of conditions, City Administrator Cole Herder explained.
First, he will continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases in Kansas and closer to home in Allen County. If those numbers spike, the opening plans could change.
Herder also noted he will reach out to parents of his incoming lifeguard staff to reiterate their children will be working in public amid an ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The goal is to have the pool open with extra precautions being taken for safety, and extra sanitary cleaning sessions.
“Safety is the utmost concern,” Herder said.
The June 29 opening date coincides with Iola’s plans for its pool.
Also on Monday, the Chanute City Commission voted to open its Maring Aquatic Center on July 4, reversing an earlier decision to keep the facility closed for the year. The Chanute Tribune reported city officials plan to boost the hourly pay for lifeguards to attract applicants, one of the key hurdles to opening the water park.
IN RELATED news, Herder said City Hall will reopen to the public on June 22. The city’s parks, park restrooms and community buildings also will reopen that day.
Again, Herder said COVID-19 infections could change those plans.
His fear is reopening public facilities could cause a spike in Humboldt, which has largely avoided the pandemic.
“There’s probably not a single formula we’ll follow,” Herder said, “but we’ll watch the trends and watch the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the governor’s office for updates.”
IN OTHER business, Council members voted to start condemnation procedures for a dilapidated house at 404 S. Seventh St.
Herder noted the Council has twice given the owners time extensions to improve the property and remove it from the city’s nuisance list.
On both occasions, few if any improvements were made.
Council members also received a clean audit from Neil Phillips of the accounting firm of Jared, Gilmore and Phillips for last year’s budget.
