Fountain City Council adopts resolution selecting hybrid design for new City Hall fountain

Fountain City — The Fountain City Council voted Jan. 13 to adopt Resolution 26-001, selecting a hybrid design for a new decorative fountain to be installed in front of City Hall and funded through a FEMA flood-recovery grant.

Staff introduced the resolution and said the city has worked on the replacement since 2023 and that FEMA awarded grant money after a level-3 flood. "We're ready to start building this fountain," the project presenter said, noting the design decision is the remaining step before construction can begin. The presenter said FEMA requires a minimum 12-foot diameter for the installation and that the new fountain will sit on the old fountain's footprint.

Why it matters: The fountain will be paid with federal disaster funds and will replace a single-tank play fountain that, staff said, would require a costly retrofit to meet current public-health rules. Staff told the council that modern splash-pad governance by the Colorado Department of Public Health requires additional infrastructure — including a staffed bathhouse and multi-stage water-treatment tanks — that FEMA would not cover. The presenter estimated a standalone bathhouse would cost about $750,000 and explained that converting the existing single-tank fountain into a compliant splash pad would require digging and installing three treatment tanks underground, adding significant cost and disruption.

Public input and design choices: Staff said the city narrowed the field to two main aesthetic options and ran an online public vote that drew 775 responses: Option A received 157 votes and Option B received 618. Staff and several council members emphasized preserving the historical marble donated from Marble, Colorado — including pieces that staff said came from the Lincoln Memorial — and discussed signage or plaques to explain the marble's provenance.

Council deliberations focused on maintenance, public-safety concerns, and historical presentation. One council member noted long-term maintenance differences: the current fountain requires multiple pumps to operate, while the proposed design uses a single, lower-maintenance pump.

The motion to adopt Resolution 26-001, selecting the hybrid (base B with marble A), was made by Mayor Pro Tem Estes and seconded by Council member Rick. The council voted 5 yes, 1 no; the meeting record names the lone no vote as "Council member Virchoff." The presenter apologized for any confusion from mixing elements of the two designs during the in-room discussion and confirmed staff will proceed with final engineering and construction scheduling.

What happens next: With the council's selection, staff will begin the procurement and building process under the FEMA grant terms and return to council if further approvals or contract awards are required. Staff also discussed adding lighting and color-change features for holidays and events.

Notes: Costs cited for retrofit requirements (bathhouse estimate of about $750,000) and the 12-foot minimum diameter requirement were presented by staff during the meeting. The fountain replacement is funded by FEMA; no general-fund dollars were reported as being used for the construction.