YOUNGSTOWN Council considers legislation for pool

Most council members say the situation is just a case of bad luck.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- City council members say they will seek to pass emergency legislation today to pay for repairs to Youngstown's only public pool.
Borts Pool on the city's West Side closed Saturday because of problems with its filtration tanks that pump chlorine into the pool.
Even if council approves the $40,000 to $60,000 needed to replace the tanks, the pool, located on Belle Vista Avenue, will remain closed for about two weeks.
The city demolished the North Pool, off Belmont Avenue, earlier this year because it was losing water. The pool was originally scheduled to open in time for the summer.
But changes in the project's scope led to delays. The pool, undergoing a $1.05 million improvement project, won't be done until October at the earliest.
Most council members say the filtration tanks problems at Borts was just a case of bad luck.
Quotable
"Everything wears down," said Councilman Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st.
But Councilman Rufus G. Hudson, D-2nd, said poor planning led to no public pools currently open in the city.
"There was time to make the necessary repairs to Borts before it opened, and we talked for years about the North Pool and did nothing," he said. "We shouldn't be in a situation where this is the hottest week of the year so far and we have no pools open. It's very embarrassing and very frustrating."
City park and recreation officials thought they could get another year out of Borts' three filtration tanks.
"Everyone's evaluation was it would make it through this season," said Councilman Mark S. Memmer, D-7th. "Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. We have an obligation to the people of this city to provide recreation, and we'll do that."
One tank has been broken for some time. Over the weekend, a second tank developed a hole that severely decreased the amount of chlorine getting into the pool, and some of the chemical is in the pool's pump room.
"I hate that this happened, particularly because of the heat, but we're working to get [Borts] open," said Councilman Richard Atkinson, R-3rd.
Fixing the problem
Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, said she expects council to approve the purchase of two replacement tanks at today's meeting by emergency measure. It takes approval by at least six of council's seven members for legislation to pass via emergency.
Councilman Michael Rapovy, D-5th, questioned if it was worth spending $40,000 to $60,000 as an emergency to repair Borts when the pool would probably be open for only a few weeks after the repairs were done.
"That's a lot of emergency money for the pool," he said. "Losing Borts Pool is a problem, but where was our preventive maintenance on this?"
Councilman Paul Pancoe, D-6th, couldn't be reached Tuesday to comment.
skolnick@vindy.com