Council awards pool plastering contract and approves extra funds for ball-field upgrades

The Orland City Council voted Feb. 18 to award a contract to plaster the city pool and to increase funding for a Little League field upgrade, after staff and the recreation commission reviewed three bids and timelines.

Recreation staff presented three bids: Northstar Pools (about $188,000, residential-focused, shorter warranty), Generation Pools (about $280,000, longer warranty and some commercial experience) and Adams Pool Solutions of Pleasanton (about $410,000, commercial focus and extensive experience). The recreation commission members and staff recommended awarding to Adams Pool Solutions citing its commercial experience and capacity, even though its bid was highest.

Recreation Director Olivia Henderson told council the pool must be ready for swim programs and lifeguard training and that she needs to have usable water by May 1 for spring programming. Henderson also said construction schedules vary: Adams described a week for demolition, a week for tile and one to two days for plaster, plus curing time, while other bidders projected longer tiling timelines.

Council members and the recreation commission discussed timing, weather dependencies and staffing impacts if work pushed into the spring. Several commissioners urged holding the project until fall to reduce program disruption; others said staff should pursue the firm that could finish the work quickly and reliably.

Council action and funding

- The council moved to award the pool plastering contract to Adams Pool Solutions (Pleasanton) and to authorize an increase in the Little League ball-field partnership funding (from $40,000 to $67,000). The council also approved holding the larger Lely ball-field lighting project in abeyance pending clearer site planning and possible acquisition of new fields.

- During public comment and from the recreation commission, multiple speakers urged the council not to reallocate an existing $180,000 recreation-related ARPA allocation intended for ball fields; they asked the council to keep that funding for ball-field projects and instead use other sources for the pool project if possible.

Staff and commission recommendations

The recreation commission and staff recommended awarding to Adams Pool Solutions because of the company’s track record with large commercial pools and its quicker timeline; they noted Generation Pools had a mid-range price and a 10-year warranty that commission members valued. Staff said Adams has the capacity and experience for a pool the size of Orland’s and that a fall timeline would avoid interruption of spring programs.

Council deliberations and vote

Council members weighed program timing, warranty length and the pool contractor’s capacity. After discussion, the council approved the motion to award the pool plastering contract to Adams Pool Solutions and to increase the Little League field funding. The motion included direction for staff to retain funds for Lely field lighting until further site decisions are made.

Implementation notes

Staff reported grant and impact-fee balances and said developer impact fees (DIF) and ARPA funds could be used to support the projects. Staff also committed to clarifying contractor availability and to report back with a firm schedule and performance provisions before construction begins.

Public comment

Residents, Little League representatives and recreation commissioners urged the council to protect DIF and ARPA money already allocated for ball fields and to prioritize safe, timely pool repairs so summer programs and second-grade swim lessons are not disrupted.

The council’s approvals were made during the Feb. 18 meeting; staff will finalize contract documents and return with scheduling and performance details.