Davenport Parks report urgent pool repairs, plan to cover immediate $55,270 from capital savings

Davenport Parks staff told the Park and Recreation Advisory Board on Feb. 20 that immediate mechanical problems at the city’s two municipal pools require about $55,270 in repairs this year and that a longer list of replacements and upgrades is estimated at roughly $365,000 to $420,000.

The immediate repairs are to circulation pumps, autofill sensors, acid pumps and seals, city Park Operations Manager Billy Fisher said. The larger group of deferred items includes controllers, variable-flow pumps, filters and precision feeders that are nearing the end of their useful lives, Fisher said.

The work matters because both Annie Whitmire and Vanderveer (referred to in presentation as “February”) pools are nearly 25 years old and several components are obsolete or lack replacement parts, Fisher said. “From walking through the aquatic centers, it wasn’t perfect. We did find quite a few items that were either at the end of the useful life or just need to be replaced because they’re obsolete,” he said.

Teresa Hahneman, senior recreation manager, and Amanda Randerson, aquatics supervisor, reviewed staffing and program changes for 2025. The department said aquatics is fully staffed for the coming season, with last year’s retention at 84.2 percent and 98 total hires across pool roles. The department lowered the minimum age for assistant managers and the learn-to-swim coordinator to 17 to allow internal promotion from lifeguards, and it added an Aquatic Safety Liaison role to provide extra on-deck oversight without requiring Davenport Police presence.

The department also reported operational changes for 2025: a hybrid schedule that keeps pools at alternate weekday closures (two days per week at each pool) to allow planned maintenance windows, while preserving full service on weekends and lessons. Randerson said the hybrid model will help avoid surprise closures during the season and assist staffing and camp planning.

Fisher said Parks contracted an external firm, Caraco Aquatics, to perform a site assessment and produce a five-page maintenance report; the vendor is also a city chemical supplier and provides certified pool-operator training in Iowa. The assessment separated immediate items ($55,270) from later needs (about $365,000). Parks identified painting, PA/audio replacement and other items not included in the Caraco report that will raise long-term costs.

To fund the immediate repairs, Parks and Recreation combined capital improvement project (CIP) savings from other projects and will request the remaining items be included in future CIP budget years, staff said. Hahneman and Fisher cautioned that CIP requests shown in current budget documents are not final until the formal budget review this fall; amounts could change.

Staff emphasized the newer controllers and precision feeders will improve efficiency and remote monitoring but will not replace the need for on-site personnel to manage chemical balance and repairs. “The equipment will make us more efficient, but it won’t replace workers,” Fisher said.

The department said there should be no noticeable change in public service this summer because the department secured funding for the immediate repairs and has a plan to phase the remaining items through future CIP requests. Officials also noted that some planned weekday closures are deliberate to preempt unplanned service interruptions that caused problems in past seasons.

Questions from advisory members focused on staffing hours under the hybrid schedule, the maturity and readiness of 17-year-old assistant managers, pump lifespans and return-on-investment for newer equipment. Fisher said warranties and manufacturer data can give guidance on expected lifespan and that the last pumps had lasted about 20 years in the city’s experience.

Parks staff said they will follow up with additional documentation on warranties and longer-term cost estimates as they work with Caraco and equipment manufacturers.