Forest Park URA staff told the board that the pump (lift) station at the Fort Gillum park has been unreliable for decades and required emergency remediation this month, and that the agency is assessing options that could range from targeted repairs to full replacement.

Director Wiggins reported the pump station “has not worked properly in over 25 years,” and that prior property managers relied on vacuum‑truck services to clear backups rather than repair the system. Staff said a vendor familiar with the station performed emergency remediation to stop ongoing overflows and is preparing a detailed assessment. "They have done the initial emergency remediation," Wiggins said, and a fuller assessment and options will be supplied to staff the next morning.

Cost considerations: In the meeting, staff gave a preliminary, nonfinal ballpark of at least $150,000 for required repair work; board discussion also referenced a higher‑range full replacement estimate. Staff said they would share the vendor assessment as soon as it is finalized and would pull prior invoices to clarify whether stormwater or other utility charges have been applied to the park’s account.

Board direction and next steps: Board members asked whether county or water‑authority resources could provide a second opinion at no cost; staff said they had reached out to a contact at the water authority and would return with a vendor assessment and invoice breakdown before the next meeting. The URA did not take formal action on repairs at this meeting; staff characterized the pending assessment as guiding prioritization for critical infrastructure work.

The board also heard related updates on bank‑account setup for park operations and an on‑site check reader to process customer checks once accounts are active, a measure staff said should remove the need to pay utility bills from general URA accounts going forward.