Pool opening to be decided Monday

By Donnie A. Lucas

Local residents will have to wait another week to find out if and when the city pool will be opening this summer, according to city manager Billy Holson.

The item is on the agenda for next Monday’s city council meeting, when council members will discuss whether or not to open and to what level.

Holson said that the governor opened water parks last week as part of the phased-in plan to ease restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The governor is allowing water parks and other water venues to open at 25 percent capacity,” the city manager said. “It will totally depend on the council next Monday to what extent they wish to open the pool.”

Holson is attempting to round up enough lifeguards to run the facility and have them certified in anticipation of a decision to open the pool by the council.

“We are bringing in someone to conduct lifeguard certification next Thursday through Saturday if the council does vote to open,” he said.

Holson added that he is attempting to have the the pool ready for use by ResourceCare during the three weeks of day camp planned for July.

“The council will have to decide if the pool will be open at all, and if we are going to allow private parties and open it to the general public,” he said. “We have worked on contingency plans in case they vote to approve the pool opening.”