MILTON
The Milton School District does not need a new pool at Milton High School … yet.
But there are improvements that need to be done immediately, according to a report from Ramaker & Associates, a Sauk City-based architecture and engineering firm.
Daryl Matzke, aquatics-civil-survey service group leader for Ramaker, presented the report to the districtÃÛèÖÊÓƵ strategic planning committee Thursday.
The district contracted Ramaker in April to assess the pool after the districtÃÛèÖÊÓƵ insurance carrier performed a safety inspection and found no immediate danger, according to a previous from ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ.
RamakerÃÛèÖÊÓƵ report provided recommendations for the pool and categorized them according to when they should be completed, Matzke said.
None of the needs were caused by poor maintenance on the districtÃÛèÖÊÓƵ part, Matzke said.
MiltonÃÛèÖÊÓƵ pool was built in 1968, and the needs identified are consistent with pools that are 50 years old, Matzke said.
Immediate needs identified in the report include:
- gutter lip elevation and grating improvements
- pool basin/deck settlement improvements
- pool room duct work improvements
- Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, specifically a lift for the pool
- main drain piping improvements
- natatorium wall and deck tiling replacement.
Addressing the immediate needs would extend the poolÃÛèÖÊÓƵ life about 10 years before another major investment in the pool would be needed, Matzke said.
The estimated cost for immediate needs is $1,025,000, Matzke said.
The Rock County Public Health Department is also requiring corrective action at the pool after its May inspection, Matzke said.
The district needs to “adjust the water level and/or gutter level to effectively skim approximately 75 percent of the required circulation flow,†based on a citation given by the department.
The violation is caused by water from the pool deck going into the same drain as the pool, Matzke said. That method for drainage has been against code for years, but many pools continue to function this way because thatÃÛèÖÊÓƵ how they were built.
The district needs to show it addressed the violation by next May to satisfy the health department, Matzke said.
Water quality for the pool is good, Matzke said.
Federal law requires pools to have handicap-accessible lifts in pools, Matzke said. The pool has the space to install one, so it should be a relatively easy project for the district, he said.
Main drain piping likely includes cast-iron piping that is original to the pool, Matzke said. That piping will fail eventually if not replaced soon.
Falling tile on the walls and deck present a safety and maintenance concern, Matzke said.
Needs identified that can be delayed for five years include:
- block replacement
- locker room Americans with Disabilities Act compliance
- pool deck drain installation
- pool basin corrosion repairs
- pool chemical relocation
- HVAC equipment relocation.
Needs identified that can be delayed for 10 years include:
- equipment room modifications
- surge tank modifications
- filter modifications
- pool deck equipment
- installation of acoustic panels.
The committee tabled discussion and action for pool upgrades. A new pool or improvements to the existing pool could be considered as part of a future capital referendum.
Facilities needs
The committee discussed $8.8 million of facilities needs the district has determined as a baseline for a potential November referendum.
If a referendum was pushed to April, those same needs would cost $9.2 million, according to the districtÃÛèÖÊÓƵ maintenance list.
Needs include Americans with Disabilities Act compliance upgrades, adding air conditioning to sections of buildings, HVAC upgrades and security updates.
The committee began discussions on a point-based evaluation system to prioritize additional needs in a future referendum.
To get the community on board with a potential referendum, the school board needs to be united, District Administrator Tim Schigur said.
Board members tearing down the district and fellow board members based on disagreements has to stop, Schigur said. Board members need to act as role models to students.
“Whatever you need to do to bury that, bury it,†Schigur said.
