The Frankfort City Council unanimously agreed to delay the proposed Aquatic Center at TPA Park project Monday night.
“We were fairly tight financially,” said Councilman Eric Woods. “We were trying to get a lot of things done and I think we could have squeezed by if everything went perfectly. When our own financial institution could not give us an affirmative to move forward with this recommendation, the finance committee met with the mayor and decided that we should recommend to the board that we postpone this.”
Back in February, bids for the project came in way over budget. The lowest bid at that time put the project between $9.2 and $9.5 million. Hoping to still have the project move forward this year, the council elected to eliminate the concession stand and was looking at the size of the bathhouse.
“This has been a really tough decision,” said Mayor Judy Sheets. “But, we think it’s the right decision. We don’t know the total effect of the COVID-19 on the city as yet.”
Councilman Steve Beardsley concurred and added, “Nobody can predict what will happen in the future. I remain firmly committed to the project. This decision is the responsible thing to do.”
Woods said the council has every intention of having an Aquatic Center in Frankfort.
“This does mean another year that the pool will not be open,” said Woods. “In all likelihood, we couldn’t have gotten it done for the opening in 2021. It would have extended a year.
“This will pretty much ensure that when we start the project, we will be able to finish it hopefully under the specifications that were laid out in the beginning and not have to make so many cuts that it’s not worth doing the project,” Woods added.
Woods talked about what the future holds.
“We’re probably going to address this every 90 days unless something happens to make it sooner or later,” said Woods. “The administration and the council will be diligent on this. We know the importance. This will be in our minds daily. We’re going to have an Aquatic Center. But, we need to do it smartly.”
Woods added another key component to this is how the property taxes come in and then the estimations on the income tax changes for the coming year.
With the due date for the first installment of this year’s taxes being pushed back, the city feels it is looking at a significantly lessened tax draw in June of maybe 70 percent.