Parks board OKs $44,000 study of Miller and Tiki pools

The Lancaster Board of Park Commissioners on June 4 authorized Superintendent Steve Gayfield to enter a $44,000 contract with Counsilman‑Hunsaker & Associates for a feasibility study of the city’s Miller and Tiki swimming pools. The motion to authorize the agreement was made by Kari James and seconded by Bob Lovell and passed unanimously.

Gayfield presented Councilman Hunsaker’s proposal and described the five-part scope Counsilman‑Hunsaker will provide: a facility assessment of the existing pools and supporting structures; market research and benchmarking; community engagement to determine public programming priorities; conceptual designs and programming options; and capital and long‑term operating cost projections. The firm’s contract document, included as an exhibit, lists deliverables such as a needs analysis, conceptual plans, cost estimates and a final report.

The agreement is a $44,000 lump sum, with task-level allocations noted in the contract (Task 1: $14,500; Task 2: $8,500; Task 3: $11,500; Task 4: $9,500). The contract specifies up to four site visits, monthly invoicing with 30‑day payment terms, and a 120‑calendar‑day target schedule from authorization to completion of the listed tasks. The consultant’s materials emphasize industry expertise, community engagement tools and an operations and pro‑forma analysis to estimate revenue and costs.

Board members framed the vote as an information‑gathering step: the study will provide options and cost estimates that city staff and elected officials can use when considering renovation, replacement or program changes. No public comments or alternate bids were recorded during the meeting.

Next steps: staff are authorized to finalize and sign the agreement and proceed with the tasks in the contract; the board will receive deliverables and updates as provided by the consultant.