Company hired to build aquatic center
FD council votes 5-1 on contractBy BILL SHEA, Messenger staff writer
A Nebraska construction company was hired by the City Council Monday night to build the new Fort Dodge aquatic center.
Christensen Construction Co. of Pender, Neb., was awarded a $7,453,500 contract to create the facility near the intersection of 32nd Street and 10th Avenue North.
The work is to begin as soon as possible and be done by June 1, 2010.
The contract was awarded on a 5-1 vote.
Council members Matt Bemrich, Richard Inman, Cindy Litwiller, Curt Olson and Dan Payne voted yes.
The lone no vote was cast by Councilman Don Wilson, who argued that a national recession is not a good time to launch such an expensive project. He said he also doubts the facility will pay for itself in the future.
''I think we led the people astray here in Fort Dodge by saying ours is going to make money,'' he said. ''I don't think it's a money-making machine. I think it's another beautiful project that won't pay for itself.''
Councilman Dave Flattery was absent.
Two other companies bid for the right to build the center. They were Henkel Construction Co. of Mason City ($7,649,660) and Sande Construction Co. of Humboldt ($7,764,107).
Last August, city voters approved the borrowing of up to $8.95 million to pay for the project. The construction contract accounts for about $7.5 million of that.
City Manager David Fierke said pool equipment, life guard chairs and other furnishings for the pool area will be bought with money from the $8.95 million bond issue. Those purchases will total about $241,403.
Fierke also said $758,598 in design fees related to the center will be paid for from the bond issue.
Some additional purchases, such as an irrigation system for the surrounding park, may also be bought with bond issue money. Fierke estimated the cost of those purchases at $496,000.
The $8.95 million bond issue will be paid off with property tax revenue.
The completed aquatic center will have:
- An eight-lane lap pool with diving boards and slides.
- A shallow pool for young children featuring water toys and a big bucket that dumps water on bathers.
- A pool with three large slides connected to a channel called a lazy river.
The center, an adjoining park and a parking lot with room for 250 vehicles will be on 23 acres donated by Tom and Norma Schmoker, of Fort Dodge.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or by e-mail at bshea@messengernews.net
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boatassembler
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05-16-09 12:16 AM
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Redwood you can have your delusions, but you still have not provided one shred of evidence that the election was "fixed" Put up or shut up.
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richhigg
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05-13-09 9:15 PM
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Fairplay. You are now sounding like Paladin, by any chance did you chance your call letters. Because you talk like your know it all just like him.
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boatassembler
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05-13-09 6:15 PM
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redwood your paranoia is showing. The vote passed because of the absentee ballots that were only counted once. If you have proof they were added twice prove it. Either that or prove they "invented " votes. If you can't then your comments are worthless and just a waste of time to read. If you have solid proof, not inuendo, I will be glad to listen But I will not listen to hot air from someone who can't get over a legitimate vote 6 months ago.
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chris1
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05-13-09 12:11 PM
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I for one will be buying another season pass to Eagle Grove this year and look forward to keeping my money in Fort Dodge in 2010. Expo is not an adequate facility for younger kids and without Olsen as an option we have purchased season passes in other communities the past 2 years.
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yougonow
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05-13-09 10:39 AM
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I know redwood - it's like the people counting them were human and made a mistake! Crazy, huh?
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boatassembler
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05-12-09 8:54 PM
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taxpayer You're not paying attention. Every article on the AC has stated that Expo will be closed AFTER the AC is open up and running. So we will have a pool open this year and next and the year after that and the year after that.
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Fairplay
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05-12-09 7:42 PM
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Hey Rich...here's the point you are missing. All of us who voted for the AC are keenly aware of the tax implications. We don't need you to say "I told you so". You have proven time and again that if we vote the opposite of you, we'll get it right for the community at least 90% of the time. As for Wilson's vote, it meant nothing. The bond issue passed long ago. Find something new to whine about...the cheese is moldy on this one.
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richhigg
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05-12-09 6:38 PM
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Thank you Don Wilson for your vote. You were the only sensivle one to tell us what the consequences will be with this AC. Just wait until you get your tax bills in september and see how this will effect your mortage payment for a majority of the people in Fort Dodge. Then I can tell you I told you so. .
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chris1
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05-12-09 5:50 PM
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Amen Ex, get over it people, the majority has spoken and the AC is going to happen. I see Mr. Wilson's vote as an unproductive statement similar to those after their candidate loses an election. Its time to move on and support the community. As for the contractor decisions, you would hope that a local contractor could out bid any outsiders due to their proximity but if that is not the case, the council needs to be fiscally responsible and choose the lowest price qualified contractor.
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yougonow
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05-12-09 5:47 PM
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"Thank you Don Wilson" For what? Going against what the citizens of Fort Dodge voted for? Or is he in on Kaleido's conspiracy theory?
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FDFATONE
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05-12-09 12:06 PM
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Three cheers for the AC. Three sneers for the whiners!
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FDFATONE
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05-12-09 12:06 PM
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Three cheers for the AC. Three sneers for the whiners!
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FDFATONE
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05-12-09 12:06 PM
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Three cheers for the AC. Three sneers for the whiners!
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digger07
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05-12-09 11:27 AM
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Thank you Don Wilson.
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extrucker
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05-12-09 9:06 AM
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i agree with 72, i have 3 young kids and they go to expo once in awhile but they also travel to humboldt and eagle grove because it has more to offer.And taxpayer they may have voted for the pool but from my calculations a lot of regular people must have voted for it because they did get the majority of the votes that they needed.
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72topaz
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05-12-09 8:14 AM
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You don't see a lot of people at Expo Pool because they are spending their money at other area facilities that have far more amenities than Expo pool does. I can't even begin to tell you how having this new facility will improve the quality of life in Fort Dodge for families and individuals. I know there's a lot of "build it and they will come" talk, but it's true. I will be very happy to put my hard-earned money back into my own commumity for a change instead of spending it elsewhere!
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nancyf
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05-12-09 8:00 AM
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Councilman Dave Flattery was absent. Gee, imagine that. The Council is cutting their meetings in half every month, and yet they're still absent? I'm so glad my tax dollars are going towards their salaries.
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taxpayer
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05-12-09 6:05 AM
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Thank you Mr.Wilson it seems you are only one that has a brain on this council.I wonderer how many of the people who pushed of the AC will ever use the AC(not just for pictures for the newspaper) I never have seen any of them at expo. Oh that right they lake homes or pools at their houses or go to the country club I hope someone will come forward and buy expo pool put in 1 slide replace boiler with soler heat at least there one pool open.
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Dodger
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05-12-09 2:09 AM
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No offense, CB, but it's like a broken record around here. An indoor facility would cost 3-4 times more in operating costs. Kids are in school. I find it laughable that many of the same people who are worried that this will lose money hand over fist turn around and suggest an all-season facility that would shoot OC's through the ROOF. If you have any questions about that, give the Storm Lake facility a call. Find out how much it costs just to stay open during the winter months. We may be one of the last to build an AC, but this design will be one of the best in Iowa -- bar none.
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ChristopherBacon
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05-12-09 2:04 AM
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If there were any sense into building this facility, they would make it an all-season aquatic center. We are the last to jump on this AC bandwagon, and it seems there will be little draw from the surrounding communities because they already have their own. A sensible idea would be to draw people from all around the area during the other 3 seasons these places' aquatic centers are not open. Hmmmmm.
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Dodger
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05-12-09 1:53 AM
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Care to elaborate, KALEID, or are you just going to post blanket generalizations and backseat drive like you always do? All talk and no action from the message board superhero. Your constant and incessant whining on this site is beyond boring and redundant. You seem to believe you consistently have all the answers, yet fail to share them with people who count in the REAL WORLD. Rather stick to the cozy confines of cyberspace, eh? That's what I thought.
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HUEVOSRANCHEROS
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05-12-09 1:13 AM
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¡I'll fourth that!
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radbear
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05-12-09 1:10 AM
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This is the "stimulus package" for out-of-town contractors. Very generous of you, Fort Dodge voters. Very smart, city council. Brilliant planning, folks.
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radbear
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05-12-09 1:09 AM
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This is the "stimulus package" for out-of-town contractors. Very generous of you, Fort Dodge voters. Very smart, city council. Brilliant planning, folks.
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radbear
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05-12-09 1:08 AM
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This is the "stimulus package" for out-of-town contractors. Very generous of you, Fort Dodge voters. Very smart, city council. Brilliant planning, folks.
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