Simplified: Sioux Falls City Council members on Tuesday voted to limit the total aquatics bond amount to $68 million, set tighter restrictions on individual project costs and require the city to share their plan for programming the new recreation centers before an official bond vote in December.
Why it matters
- The clock is ticking on a 60-day deadline the city has to hit if it's going to have a chance at reimbursing itself for the $9 million spent earlier this year to buy the former Sanford Wellness Center on Tea/Ellis Road. This purchase was initially included in the first iteration of a $77 million aquatics bond to fund new pools and indoor recreation.
- Though, after Tuesday's meeting, it's pretty safe to say that $9 million isn't going back into the city's coffers.
- Councilors have also had varying degrees of consternation about the total project cost – especially because the facilities they're voting to fund haven't been fully designed yet.
- The council passed three resolutions on Tuesday, each putting its own parameters on a bond ordinance that's expected to be before the council in the next few weeks.
"Admittedly, there is some tension, specifically in the area of indoor recreation," Councilor Rich Merkouris said after about an hour of discussion on the various aquatics bond resolutions. "And we're working to bring clarity to that moving forward, but I think overall it's a great thing that we still got the mutual goals (of replacing aging pools) accomplished."
Tell me more about the resolutions
The first one councilors discussed was a resolution to essentially say to the city, "OK, this is the most money you can spend on construction" related to a new outdoor pool at Kuehn Park – estimated to cost $18 million – and a new indoor pool/recreation center at Frank Olson Park – estimated to cost $47 million.
- That resolution initially included $9 million to reimburse the city for the westside recreation center, but an amendment to lower the total bond amount from $77 million to $68 million passed council unanimously. Subsequently, that resolution passed unanimously as well.
The second resolution up for debate was setting specific price limits for the projects within the bond.
- This would've capped Kuehn Park project costs at $18 million, give or take 10 percent; and Frank Olson at $47 million, also give or take 10 percent.
- Councilor Miranda Basye offered an amendment to change that 10 percent range down to 5 percent – which was passed unanimously by the council.
- That entire resolution also passed unanimously.
The third resolution was in support of taking $3 million of the bond proceeds to fund improvements to the new westside recreation center (formerly Sanford Wellness). These improvements include a new roof and parking lot improvements.
Both the second and third resolutions also received amendments from Councilors Basye and Jennifer Sigette, respectively, asking the city to come up with a plan for what city programming would look like in the new facilities.
- That plan is expected to be presented to and approved by City Council before a vote on the overall bond.
"My ask is that we cast our vision bigger ... and we ask ourselves, 'what is programming for indoor recreation?' so that as we continue moving forward and get these projects into place, that we can march in lockstep," Basye said.
What happens next?
The official bond ordinance is expected to be in front of the council for first reading on Dec. 3.
I'm still playing catch-up. We're getting new pools?
Maybe – if everyone can agree on how to finance them. Here's some background for ya:
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
