Council looks at plans for possible upgrades to pool

Upgrades to Fort Recovery Ambassador Pool won’t be cheap.

But they could extend its life by a few decades.

Fort Recovery Village Council heard updates on the pool renovation project at its meeting Monday.

Fort Recovery received a $450,000 contribution toward renovating Ambassador Pool from Ohio’s capital budget bill in 2024. Recently, village officials have been working with commercial pool service company Buddenbaum & Moore of Noblesville to determine the pool’s needs.

Assistant village administrator Aaron Rengers explained he recently met with the company to discuss details about the pool, which is more than 40 years old. He said Buddenbaum & Moore recommended replacing the stainless steel gutter system, filters, pumps and heater, installing a pool liner, adding a zero-entry sloping entrance and converting the kiddie pool into a splash pad.

Rengers said a high-end estimate for the renovations came to $1.7 million, $400,000 of which would cover the splash pad addition. (That estimate doesn’t include costs for electrical work or improvements to the concession, restroom and storage building. Village administrator Randy Diller suggested some of the work on the structure could be done in-house.)

Rengers believes the village could secure up to $950,000 in additional grants for the project.

“But that’s still a lot of uncovered money there,” he said.

Plans are for Buddenbaum & Moore to return with updated figures for renovation costs as well as provide estimates for a new pool. Rengers advocated for creating a committee to seek community input and make decisions on next steps.

Mayor Dave Kaup asked if the firm pinpointed where the leak is coming from. (The village loses an estimated 340,000 gallons of water monthly while in operation.) Rengers said the leak seems to be coming from the gutter system and possibly the body of the pool as well.

“We’ve got to figure out, what makes sense,” said Diller. “You know, it’s a 40-year-old pool, (a Buddenbaum & Moore representative) said he thinks the structure itself will last another 15, 20, 25 years …”

A new liner is guaranteed for about 15 years, he added.

“Does it really make sense for us to look at a $2 million project at this point?” asked Diller. “Now, if it lasts for 30 years? Probably not a bad investment.”

Following an executive session Monday, council also authorized Diller to create an assistant fiscal officer and utilities clerk position. 

Council hired former assistant fiscal officer and grant administrator Jennifer Schoonover as fiscal officer trainee last month, with plans for her to take over fiscal officer Roberta Staugler’s position after her retirement June 1. The new job description for the assistant fiscal officer’s role includes utilities clerk duties. Plans are for Schoonover to continue grant administration, with her assistant to handle clerical utilities work.

Also Monday, council approved an ordinance setting services and consent for annexing 15.89 acres along Ohio 119 on the east edge of the village. The move is the first step in the process, with approval from Mercer County Commissioners as well as a final approval from the village also required. 

The owners of the property, Nathan and Alison Ruhenkamp, hope to build a home on the land, with the village to extend utilities.

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

•Discussed a letter from a Fort Recovery native expressing interest in serving as a police officer for the village. Although the department currently has two officers, council members questioned whether the village could feasibly offer another position, pointing to additional training jobs created to prepare for Staugler and Diller’s retirements next year. Although council members took no action on the matter, they talked about reviewing the request again at the beginning of 2026.

•Authorized renewing the village’s four real estate tax levies next year. (An income tax levy, which would increase the village’s income tax from 1% to 1.5%, will be on the ballot in November. If it’s passed, the village won’t collect on its real estate tax levies — they generate more than $294,000 annually — starting in 2026.)

•Learned about plans to drill a fourth test well this week. Issues have cropped up with finding a suitable third well for the village to use after upgrading its water plant. Diller noted if this test well isn’t successful, the village will look at other options.

•Heard Rengers and Diller will attend another Fort Recovery School Board meeting in October to discuss creating a Community Reinvestment Area in the village.

•Paid a $8,085 claim from PMG Consulting for work completed on the water plant study.