Fort Recovery to seek funds for pool

FORT RECOVERY — The village is going after another grant to help pay for pool renovations.

Fort Recovery Village Council authorized village administration Monday to apply for grant dollars through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Hopes are to secure $500,000 from the grant program to help pay for renovations to Ambassador Pool.

According to Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ website, the Land and Water Conservation Fund “provides up to 50% reimbursement assistance for state and local government subdivisions … for the acquisition, development, and rehabilitation of recreational areas.” The program is offered through the National Park Service.

Ohio has received more than $165 million from the federal grant program, with more than half of that amount allocated for local parks projects. Funding is issued to the state, and from there it’s up to the state’s discretion on how to allocate those dollars.

Applicants may receive up to $500,000 in 50% matching funds for their projects.

Assistant village administrator Aaron Rengers shared hopes to replace the deck and stainless steel gutter system, filters, pumps and heater, and install a new pool liner. 

Pool contractor Buddenbaum & Moore of Noblesville has estimated the project will cost around $1.2 million. The new liner would last for another 15 years, while the new gutter system would last for 30 years before village officials need to look at another replacement.

With the new upgrades, the village would likely need to shut down its kiddie pool area. 

“You can’t circulate through your current system. They don’t allow that anymore,” Rengers said. “Hopefully, relatively short in the future, we’d be able to go after some money for a splash pad to make up for that.”

Rengers said estimates for a splash pad in Fort Recovery come to around $400,000.

Buddenbaum & Moore’s quote includes pricing for a new ramp. If the village were to instead add a zero-entry sloping entrance, explained Rengers, there would be an additional $226,000 cost.

Hopes are to complete work on the pool building in the future as well, an anticipated $300,000 project the village hopes to handle in-house.

Addressing the renovation costs, Rengers noted building a new pool would cost around $4 million.

“Pools are money pits,” he said.

Fort Recovery received a $450,000 contribution toward renovating Ambassador Pool from Ohio’s capital budget bill in 2024. Village administrator Randy Diller talked about the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant program, saying he believes if the village receives a $500,000 match, it will be able to pay for the project. The remaining dollars could come from the village’s coffers.

The application for Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ annual round of funding is due Nov. 14. Diller said he expects the village to hear back on its application by the end of the year.

Ultimately, he reminded council members, the decision on whether to move forward with the project will be in their hands.

In other business, council members Lucas Knapke, Scott Pearson, Greg Schmitz, Al Post and Cliff Wendel, absent Erik Fiely:

•Approved the following: a $148,539.61 pay request from Caldwell Tanks for finishing work on the second water tower in the village; an $18,352.50 claim from PMG Consulting for work completed on the water plant study between May and September; 

•Advanced $43,625 from the water fund to the water tower fund.

•Were reminded the new income tax levy was on the ballot Tuesday. If passed, the village’s income tax would increase to 1.5% from the current 1%; the village would stop collecting on its four existing real-estate tax levies..

•Heard Diller is working on his 2026 capital plan. He listed several projects and maintenance work on the agenda for next year, including hopes to purchase and install new speed radar signs.