Navasota council approves $690,580 contract to renovate municipal pool, authorizes mayor to finalize agreement
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Summary
The Navasota City Council approved a $690,580 contract with Landmark Aquatic to renovate the city pool, including major mechanical upgrades and ADA lifts. Council members also added a 10% owner contingency, and staff said the work will require city debt because the project was not budgeted for FY2025.
The Navasota City Council on Jan. 13 approved a $690,580 contract with Landmark Aquatic to renovate the city’s municipal pool, including upgraded filtration and pumps, main‑drain and floor work and ADA lifts for both pools.
The renovation contract, presented by Jennifer, the city’s public works director, and Tim Warren, director of renovation for Landmark Aquatics, covers mechanical replacements to meet current Texas health and safety codes, piping upgrades to meet a six‑hour turnover rate, repairs to perimeter stainless gutters, replastering and replacement of the deep end floor. Council added language authorizing the mayor to negotiate, finalize and execute the contract; the council also recorded a 10% owner contingency for optional items.
City staff emphasized why the work is necessary. “Some of those codes are mainly to do with health and safety,” Tim Warren said, summarizing code changes since 1999 and explaining the need to upsize pumps and pipe diameters so the site can meet today’s minimum turnover and anti‑entrapment requirements. Warren described the intended mechanical upgrades and safety additions, including ADA lifts for both pools: “The ADA lift chair … swings out over the deck … it’s battery powered,” he said. Warren also said the large pool’s deep end will be reduced from 10 feet to 7 feet to meet swim‑meet and safety standards and facilitate a new main‑drain configuration.
Why it matters: the pool repairs were not included in the FY2025 budget. City staff told council the work must proceed using borrowed funds if approved. Finance staff and the city attorney advised that the city will borrow to cover the pool along with other capital projects; staff later described a plan to issue certificates of obligation to finance multiple projects. During the discussion the council also required that no work start before the contract is executed and that the city attorney approve the final form.
Scope, schedule and costs: Landmark told council it intends to self‑perform most of the work and expects the critical filtration equipment to have about an eight‑week lead time; staff said the project schedule aims for completion by the end of April to be ready for the swimming season. The contract includes a 10% owner contingency “at our discretion” for enhancements such as pool lighting. Warren said the company will attempt to reuse tile and preserve racing‑lane tile where practical to limit costs.
Council action and conditions: Motion to approve the Landmark Aquatic contract passed by voice vote. Council members specified that the mayor be authorized to negotiate, approve and execute the final agreement and that work not begin until the contract is executed and reviewed by the city attorney.
What remains: Staff told council the project will require permitting and inspections, that contract language needs minor city‑specific revisions (city attorney Carey noted performance and payment bond language that should be addressed), and that staff will return with the final executed contract. The council and Landmark representatives discussed construction logistics including the likelihood crews will stay locally during the build and that some weekend work may be necessary to meet schedule.
The contract and design package will include engineered, stamped drawings and as‑built documents to be attached to the final agreement.
