Carbondale delays pool plastering, keeps $13.4M Aquatic Center budget intact

The Carbondale Board of Trustees heard an update on the Aquatic Center construction on Tuesday, when staff said they will postpone final plaster work until spring to protect long-term quality and extend certain contract services into 2026.

Town staff framed the decision as a quality-control move rather than a cost overrun. “We do maintain the same total project budget,” a town project manager, Doug, told trustees, adding the budget remains at $13,400,000. He said the owner’s contingency balance is about $303,000 and the construction contingency remains at about $79,000 after recent change orders.

The trustees were told the project team chose to defer plastering and a few custom-fabricated interior items so the plaster can be applied under favorable spring conditions, which staff said will improve curing and long-term durability. Staff said the contractor will substantially complete most construction by mid-November and pursue a temporary certificate of occupancy by Jan. 15, allowing staff to set up and train; the pools’ final plaster and full public opening will follow in spring when weather and warranty considerations are ideal.

Why it matters: Trustees and staff said delaying plastering reduces the risk of rework and premature failures and preserves warranty value. The project manager said the team expects a steady presence on site through winter, with targeted work and an “early punch list” to be resolved in the coming months.

Staff also told the board that two consultant contracts will need modest extensions for work currently scheduled through October 2025. The architect, Land and Shelter, has proposed roughly 18 weeks of additional billable time; the owner’s representative, WEMBA, has proposed about 4.5 months of extra services. Staff said the additional consultant hours plus a few small construction items — a fire-hydrant repair estimated at about $15,000 and interior wall-height work under $20,000 — would together total roughly $100,000, and staff intends to use the project contingencies to cover that amount. The speaker said the owner’s contingency would remain “over $200,000” after these adjustments.

Trustees pressed staff on schedule and public access. The project manager said staff will “button up” the site for winter, remain engaged, and return in March to complete plastering and the final warranty countdown. He added that the team will provide the training window staff needs after a temporary certificate of occupancy so operations staff can learn systems before opening.

Funding and campaign status: Staff reported the capital campaign is extending its final push through Dec. 30 to try to fill an identified roughly $500,000 fundraising gap. The packet shows nearly $1.97 million raised to date in grants and donations. Staff said grant applications are outstanding with El Pomar and another funder that reviews letters of inquiry Oct. 1; one ask in the packet was $25,000.

Trustees said they supported the schedule change, emphasizing long-term quality over a rushed opening. Staff said no additional general-contractor charges are expected for the schedule extension; requests for additional services will come from the architect and owner’s representative and be presented to the board in a memo.

The update closed with staff saying public safety, warranty preservation and contractor coordination drove the schedule change; trustees did not take a formal vote on the schedule change itself.

For next steps, staff said they will send a memo this week with the consultant scope-and-cost requests and will continue monthly updates until the project reaches full completion.