Park board sets June 6 opening for aquatic center, approves school-day access

The Ken Park Board voted to open the Kasson City aquatic center to the public on Saturday, June 6, and authorized a potential earlier opening to accommodate a school swim event.

The motion to set the public opening for June 6 was moved and seconded at the meeting; the chair announced the motion had passed after members voted in favor. Parks staff explained maintenance needs, including epoxy repairs and lap-pool resurfacing that staff described as an expensive professional job they hope to delay until they can test a lower-cost epoxy solution. Staff said the pool cannot reliably open earlier because school calendars mean certification and maintenance schedules may conflict.

Board members and staff discussed lifeguard certification logistics. Staff said some lifeguards obtain certifications during the summer and that Linda (staff) will forward certification updates so pay changes tied to certification can be processed. Rachel, an outside instructor who has led prior in-house certification sessions, was identified as a potential contractor to run training at the facility.

The board did not set additional staffing pay rates during the meeting; members asked staff to consult Tim at city/council about whether festival or rental labor should be posted or approved through council processes.

Next steps: staff will schedule lifeguard re-certification with the instructor and continue required maintenance work ahead of the June 6 opening.