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