Carbondale parks commission backs aquatic center, trustees narrow change‑order threshold

The Carbondale Parks and Recreation Commission voted July 9 to send a letter of support for the town's new aquatic center and heard staff explain how a recent trustee interpretation of the town procurement policy will affect the project.

The commission's chair, Hala Sutherland, opened the meeting and noted the commission is advisory; Eric Brenlinger, Carbondale's parks and recreation director, briefed commissioners on two developments affecting the aquatic center's schedule and budget: a trustees' clarification of the procurement policy's change‑order threshold, and an updated funding recap showing a remaining fundraising gap.

Brenlinger told the commission that the town attorney offered two readings of the procurement policy language and recommended the trustees adopt language specific to the Carbondale Aquatic Center that would require trustees review when a single change order exceeds $100,000, but would not require trustee review when cumulative smaller change orders surpass $100,000. "He recommended that the trustees make a motion specific to the Carbonneau Aquatics Pool Project, to say to say over over a $100,000 for 1 item, not cumulative of the change orders, and anything that would change the initial scope of the project and the and the approved project budget," Brenlinger said. He said trustees approved that approach so the project team can proceed without routing every smaller, cumulative contingency expenditure to the trustees for approval.

Brenlinger also reviewed a project funding recap prepared for trustees and commissioners. He said the project currently shows a roughly $128,000 gap in the fundraising line but that staff are still pursuing about $700,000 to $800,000 in additional coverage from the recreation sales‑and‑use tax reserves and ongoing donations. He said the town maintains an 80% fund‑balance policy for the rec sales‑and‑use tax fund and that using reserves to close the gap could push the fund below that target if additional revenue is not secured.

Commissioner Rose Rosello read a draft letter, prepared for the commission, endorsing the aquatic center and highlighting accessibility and sustainability features. "As members of the Carbondale Parks and Rec Commission, we are proud to support the construction of the new aquatic center, one that does not just replace our aging pool, but reflects the values that make Carbondale a leader in equity and sustainability," Rosello read. The letter notes the facility will be "the first all‑electric municipal pool in Colorado" and will be powered by "high‑efficiency air‑source heat pumps and solar photovoltaic systems," language commissioners adjusted during the meeting.

Commissioners and staff discussed edits to the letter: adding explicit language about accessibility (ADA) and referencing specific renewable systems such as air‑source heat pumps and solar photovoltaic systems. Rachel Bachman Perkins and others suggested phrasing edits to emphasize accessibility for people with disabilities and seniors without expanding the letter beyond the word limit for a letters‑to‑the‑editor format.

After edits, the commission placed the letter for a vote. The commission approved sending the letter under the Parks and Recreation Commission name, and Rose Rosello was authorized to have staff distribute it to local media and the town's fundraising pages. The vote was taken by voice; the chair announced the motion carried.

In discussion commissioners also received other project updates: the town secured $100,000 from Pitkin County toward the aquatic center; a pending CORE grant remains under review by the grant committee; and some smaller gifts have been received. Brenlinger emphasized that the fundraising total is changing frequently as donations come in.

The commission discussed procedural follow‑ups. Brenlinger reported trustees plan to review the broader procurement policy language in a work session to remove ambiguity for future projects. Commissioners also discussed the project's reliance on the rec sales‑and‑use tax fund to back bonds and operations and noted staff will continue fundraising and monitoring the fund balance.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve minutes (June 11): approved (voice vote; mover/second not specified in the record). - Motion to approve the draft letter of support for the Carbondale Aquatic Center (as edited): approved (voice vote; mover/second not specified in the record). - Motion to adjourn: approved (voice vote; mover/second not specified in the record).

Why it matters: The trustees' clarification of the procurement policy reduces the number of routine change orders that must return to the trustees for approval, which staff said will keep construction on schedule. At the same time, the project remains dependent on last‑mile fundraising and the rec sales‑and‑use tax reserve to cover remaining costs, and commissioners emphasized outreach and donations remain critical.

What's next: Staff will continue fundraising and report monthly changes to the funding recap. Trustees plan a work session to refine procurement policy language; staff said that would not retroactively change approvals already made but aims to reduce future ambiguity.