WATERVILLE — City councilors Tuesday will consider hiring an engineering firm to evaluate the condition of the outdoor Alfond Municipal Pool on North Street and renewing a lease for the city-owned Pine Ridge Golf Course on West River Road.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at The Center downtown.
City Manager Michael Roy said Monday that the municipal pool is 18 years old, and the city wants to have it checked to make sure there are no problems with it.
“We don’t want to wait for it to have problems, so that’s the reason for the study — to get ahead of it,” Roy said. “It’s only prudent for us to look at the condition of the concrete, look at the pool liner itself and any and all pieces of that and be ready with a plan should things go wrong.”
Councilors Tuesday will consider hiring Aquatics Group of Peabody, Massachusetts, for $6,000 to evaluate the pool and make recommendations for possible improvements with the money to come from the pool account.
Many residents, as well as people from out of town, use the pool during the summer months. A memo to the council and Mayor Nick Isgro from Parks and Recreation Director Matt Skehan, dated March 28, says the harsh outdoor elements and high use over the years have taken their toll on the pool and it is time to have it professionally evaluated.
In other matters, councilors will consider renewing the city’s lease with John Curato for the Pine Ridge Golf Course on West River Road. The five-year lease agreement includes an increase in user fees, according to Roy. Curato took over the lease two years ago.
“We’re certainly very happy with the way he’s managed the course,” Roy said. “We’re very pleased that he wants to continue out there. There are fee increases proposed in the lease but I think they’re reasonable compared to those at other, similar courses. I’m hoping the council does approve the lease and he can go forward.”
Both Roy and Skehan recommend the lease approval, according to Roy.
Councilors Tuesday also will consider approving a memorandum of understanding with the Alfond Youth Center for shared responsibility at Purnell-Wrigley field on Mathews Avenue. The youth center is raising money for renovations of the city-owned Little League ball field to turn it into a replica of Chicago’s Wrigley Field, complete with turf, public address system, bathrooms, dugouts and lights.
The council will consider another memorandum of understanding with Friends of Green Street Park for shared responsibilities for use and continued development there. The Friends of Green Street Park are raising money and heading up revitalization of the city-owned park in the South End. Future plans for improvement include a new skate pad, playground, walking loop trail, community gardens and a bathroom.
Councilors also will consider awarding a $25,835 contract to Hammond Tractor Co. for a commercial mower and attachments for parks and recreation and a $21,865 contract to Sherwin Williams Co. of Waterville for traffic paint.
A drainage easement to the state Department of Transportation as part of the Interstate 95 interchange project also will be considered. As part of the project, the intersection of Trafton and West River roads must be improved, and the drainage easement allows a new configuration of drainage at the intersection, according to the order councilors will consider Tuesday. The DOT offered $500 for the right to construct and maintain a permanent culvert outfall on the 905-square-foot area of city property near the ditch line of West River Road.
Isgro is scheduled to recognize the Waterville Area Food Bank as the 2016 Spirit of America Volunteer of the Year award recipient.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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