The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News - Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

The Hartley City Council on Monday officially moved forward with a $1.7 million bond issue to finance the construction of a new pool.

Members unanimously approved calling for the referendum after a brief discussion. If passed, the bond would finance the bulk of construction costs for the new pool, which has an estimated price tag of $3 million.

"It keeps going up the longer we wait," Council Member Mary Westphalen said of construction expenses.

Assuming a 3 percent interest rate, the bond would cost Hartley property owners $3.60 per $1,000 of taxable valuation for 15 years. A community fundraising goal of $500,000 has been set, and the city also hopes to receive grants to help with construction expenses.

City Administrator Erica Haack said the council could utilize a "reverse referendum" to finance construction if the bond issue fails. The method is outlined under the Urban Renewal Act and requires the city to a request a petition from residents. If that petition is not received, the city can borrow the funds without a referendum. The pool's location would have to be added into an urban renewal area.

"A lot of communities don't want to do that because they want their communities engaged in the process," Haack said.

Hartley's new swimming pool will be built at or near its current location in Neebel Park. Other spots were discussed, but the park provided the least expensive option.

City officials have been discussing a new pool for more than five years. The current aquatic center was built in 1958 and the last major updates were completed in 1996. Several issues have worsened in recent years, and inspectors have determined the facility is nearing the end of its functioning life.

The square footage of the new pool will be comparable to the current one. The pool taskforce committee originally gave design company Water's Edge a price point of $1.75 million to develop blueprints, but that amount would get Hartley a new pool that's 40 percent smaller than the current one with very few additional amenities.

If constructed, the new pool will include zero-entry play area with a family slide, four swimming lanes, deep water diving and swim area, basketball hoops and a volleyball net, new bathhouse, and a large deck area with shaded zones. It is hoped to be constructed and operable by the summer of 2022.

It's unknown if local kids will still be able to take a dip during the construction period if the new pool is built adjacent to the current one in Neebel Park. Several key parts like the heater and pumps are on their last legs.

"There's a high probability that's not going to happen with the condition it's in," said Council Member Brian Myers.

Superintendent of Public Works Jaron Benz was also unsure if the pool had another season in it, noting repair costs could be prohibitive.

"We'll need to find more band aids," he said.

Community contributions have netted approximately $70,000 so far. Volunteers are hoping to hold more fundraising events in the future, and the city is also planning to hold informational meetings about the bond soon.