Commission Considers Sokol Park Lighting, Bowers Park Pool Repairs

TUSCALOOSA, AL - Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority (PARA) is moving forward on new lighting for Sokol Park, after the County Commission authorized the agency to seek bids for the $1.3 million project.

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PARA Executive Director Gary Minor addressed the Commission to answer additional questions following a previous work session where the projects were discussed at length. This also included a funding request for repairs at the Bowers Park pool.

In total, the two projects carry an estimated $2.8 million price tag.

The lighting project for Sokol Park south has been a pressing one, after a past storm damaged one of the older poles, resulting in the need for a full replacement of the system. This would be done for six baseball and softball fields.

Minor pointed out the lights were roughly 30 years old, while new-age LED lighting would provide a better product and a worthwhile longterm investment.

"The City [of Tuscaloosa] has a little bit over $2 million in Sokol Park and approximately $600,000 for paving projects in Bowers Park," Minor said, before mentioning that the City of Tuscaloosa would cover construction costs.

District 1 Commissioner Stan Acker then confirmed with Minor that PARA was in position to submit a Request For Proposal (RFP) for bids for the project, before suggesting that the county's engineering department be a consultant.

"If there's trenching that needs to be done to run a conduit, we've got equipment to do that," Acker said. "It would be kind of silly to pay. So, I make a motion to authorize PARA on our behalf to solicit bids to bring back and we have timetable, to know what the county is getting. Obviously, we’ll have to vote then and make a decision then, but authorize them to go forward on lightning project."

Bowers Park Pool

In a separate funding request, the Commission again discussed a proposed $250,000 allocation to PARA for much-needed repairs to the pool at Bowers Park. Debate has persisted over a large-scale replacement of the pool to allow for additional upgrades — a costly endeavor — or spot repairs until the necessary funding can be shored up.

Minor explained that the pool was built in the 1990s and is in need of extensive plumbing repairs, in addition to valve replacements for the pool's filtration building. Leaks and poor lightning are also ongoing sources of concern.

The overall figure PARA says it was provided to cover repairs was $270,000, while the cost for a replacement and an accompanying upgrades would be well into the millions of dollars.

"If we want to change that facility, certainly we would want to modernize and make it more kid- and family-friendly, with a lazy river and slides," Minor said. "The slides at this pool are relatively new and that system has a different filtration system, so it's ready to operate. Those would stay if you did rebuild."

Probate Judge Rob Robertson opined that $250,000 was large sum to put toward a decades-old public pool, which are notoriously expensive and high maintenance, before pondering how long the "band-aid" fixes would last before needing to be addressed again.

District 4 Commissioner Reginald Murray agreed and suggested the Commission wait to hear more about a full-scale replacement, before then considering it along the proposed repairs, as opposed to simply approving $250,000 in quick repairs.

"We would be happy to come up with some alternate plans to be able to show the Commission PARA's thoughts on this," Minor responded.

Minor did, however, stress that the construction industry, like many others, is facing labor shortages and supply issues, which underscores PARA's urgency in addressing its most pressing needs for the pool.

"As a note, construction is timed out, " he said. "If we're going to put the band-aid on the facility, we need to know now. Just letting you know. We will not be able to get it band-aided for this season unless we act pretty quickly."

Murray suggested Minor return to the next Commission meeting in two weeks with additional information on other potential funding sources and alternatives to be considered.

In other Commission business ...

• The Commission unanimously approved a contract with Northstar Paramedic Services to provide ambulance services for the county. The measure was met with the support of fire chiefs from across the county, including the cities of Northport and Tuscaloosa.
• The Commission unanimously approved reallocating $155,400 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to purchase 840 new water meters for the Carroll's Creek Water Authority. The funding was initially earmarked for painting its water tower.
• An additional ARP reallocation was also approved for the Peterson Water System in the amount of $350,000, which will go toward water main replacement projects. While the system is not the oldest in the county, parts of it were built in the 1960s. It services less than 700 customers.
• Findings were presented from Murray's Diversity Economic Committee, which highlighted disparities in minority representation in not just Tuscaloosa County governmental departments, but those in the City of Tuscaloosa and the City of Northport. Recommendations were also provided for the County to re-tool its hiring practices, which included updated technology for testing.
• While it has consistently failed to receive support on the Commission, Murray made a formal motion for the county to freeze all of its hiring until the aforementioned disparities relating to minority representation could be addressed and rectified. Murray's motion failed to garner a second and did not make it to a full commission vote.

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