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Kasson City park board orders clearer pool-closure communications after one-day shutdown sparks online complaints
Summary
After a one-day early closure that drew Facebook criticism, the Kasson City Park Board directed staff to codify closure guidance, keep managers in the loop and evaluate concession operations and slushie-machine options.
Chair opened the June 17 meeting of the Kasson City Park Board and members spent substantial time on operations at the Kasson Aquatic Center after a brief, controversial early closure last week.
Staff member reported that "heaters are fixed" and that a boiler inspection is scheduled; four exhaust fans in the aquatic center were replaced at an estimated total of about $2,000. On the pool closure, the staff member said he "came back to the pool closed" after an equipment demo, and that the incident "blew up on Facebook" as residents complained about losing one day of service.
The staff member said assistant managers judged the weather would keep patrons away and closed early, then conditions cleared; he told the board that going forward "they need to communicate with me" before making closure decisions. Chair reinforced that expectation, saying staff should contact him or the city office before posting or closing to reduce confusion.
The board directed staff to incorporate guidance Tim had identified into the pool-closing binder, including standard lightning protocols and an explicit allowance to close "for lack of patrons" (for example, 10 or fewer patrons after the first 30 minutes), a detail staff said is not currently written in the handbook but will be added.
Members also discussed concessions and equipment upkeep. The staff member described repeated maintenance issues with the facility's slushie machine, saying the unit cost "around $2,000, $3,000" and was already producing fault codes. Committee members suggested lower-cost and lower-maintenance alternatives — including shaved-ice or smaller commercial machines priced in the $500–$700 range — and weighed tradeoffs such as syrup drips and cleanup on pool decks.
Committee members proposed setting a firm concessions taper time (recommendations ranged from 7:15 to 7:30 p.m.) and reducing the late-evening menu or staffing when patron counts are low. Staff said they will monitor patron behavior, add closure language to the binder, and evaluate slushie alternatives after the season.
The board made no formal policy vote at the June 17 meeting; staff said they will update the written guidance and follow up with the board if additional formal action is required.
