Beaver County discusses replacing damaged pool liner, weighs $144,000–$299,000 bids and splash-pad alternative

Trudy, a department head, told Beaver County commissioners at their March 5 work session that the county pool liner was damaged by this winter’s conditions and likely cannot be repaired in time for the summer season.

Trudy said the county received three quotes last year for replacing the liner, ranging from $144,000 to $299,000, and asked whether the county should pursue an emergency declaration to accelerate procurement and installation so the pool could open on schedule.

The request matters because the pool is a seasonal public amenity and staff cited the prospect of opening by Memorial Day as a goal. Commissioners and staff discussed options including going to bid for a replacement liner, the risk that a specialized membrane might produce only one qualified bidder, and the alternative of investing in a splash pad that county staff said would be lower maintenance and potentially a better long-term investment.

Trudy said, “But with the harsh winter conditions, it damaged it beyond repair,” and added that one specialty supplier is the only firm that installs a particular membrane and that companies’ recommendations and warranties were not identical. Trudy asked the commission whether there was a consensus to fix the liner now or to pursue other options.

County staff cited a YMCA report showing annual receipts of about $35,000 and said the YMCA’s management contract with the county was $18,000 for the year; the transcript records total attendance or use figures of 5,770 for the period referenced. Commissioners and staff discussed whether the YMCA would expand its offer to manage more of the facility; staff reported the YMCA would not expand its offer.

Some commissioners urged caution about using an emergency procurement process solely to meet an opening date. One commissioner said she did not view the pool replacement as meeting the county’s threshold for bypassing ordinary bidding procedures. Staff noted that, depending on the product specified, a standard competitive bid might attract only one bidder and that could require rebidding or schedule delays.

No formal motion or vote on funding or emergency declaration was recorded at the meeting. Staff said they would provide the YMCA report and additional information on usage and funding options for a subsequent meeting so the commission could decide whether to advertise bids, pursue an emergency declaration, or consider converting the site to a splash pad.

Follow-up: commissioners asked staff to return with the YMCA report and recommendations on procurement options and funding sources before any final decision.