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MH Council calls for feasibility study of pool’s needs

MILL HALL -- For years Mill Hall Borough has been putting Band-aids on growing problems at its public pool.

And this year is no different.

Borough employees are now patching up cracks along the walls of the decades-old pool in preparation for the 2021 summer season.

But, as in previous seasons, it's just a temporary fix.

Knowing that, Mill Hall Borough Council unanimously approved putting out a Request For Proposal (RFP) regarding a feasibility study for repairs and restorations at the facility.

"We all know that the pool is in great need of repairs," Mill Hall Council President Tony Walker said. "Before we can move on to possibly any grants we need a feasibility study to be done first. And it needs to be detailed."

The last time the borough completed a feasibility study for the pool was in 2009, Walker said.

The borough is receiving help from Clinton County's Recreation Advisory Committee. The committee's subcommittee dedicated to helping the pool is chaired by Leonard "Lenny" Long.

Long first approached the borough earlier in the year with a possible DCNR grant, one that could help fund repairs and restorations.

However, with a fast approaching deadline and the need for a feasibility study to apply for the grant, the application was put on hold for 2021.

"The reason we had to put things on hold is it happened really fast. Mill Hall's office administration -- Brandi Yost -- she's just a one person operation. So to try to get this organized and pulled off in 10 days was going to be just impossible," Long told The Express.

Taking a fiscal year allows the borough to put out an RFP and hire a firm to conduct the feasibility study.

Long noted that Mill Hall Borough is one of 30 communities DCNR has expressed an interest in helping.

"Wes Feringer, with DCNR -- our regional representative to help in the facilitation of grant writing -- he's on board 100 percent," he said.

In Mid-April, Long brought Centre Region Parks and Recreation Aquatic Supervisor Todd Roth to the pool. The pair met with Walker and Public Works Director Ryan Kunes for a tour of the facility.

Roth took part in the renovation of two pools in State College Borough in 2009 and 2011 and offered comment on the Mill Hall Pool's potential. He said Mill Hall's current situation is similar to where his borough was.

"There's a wide range of possibilities. I think the community needs to decide … what's their definition of success," Roth said.

Roth said State College was able to renovate two pools due to assistance from five municipalities surrounding the borough. He further explained that each borough pays a percentage of the cost for loans taken out for the projects.

The more municipalities to partner with the borough on this project, the better the grant grade for applications, Roth continued.

Roth gave a run down of the process State College went through for its feasibility study.

He said they focused on two main components when looking for a firm to conduct the study --capital expenses and an operational business plan. He said firms can offer both in their studies with a variety of options, from most to least expensive.

State College chose St. Louis based firm, Councilman-Hunsaker, for both renovations. He noted the firm centered its study around demographic data for the borough as well as hired local architects for the job.

The cost for State College's study was $30,000, but it included more than Mill Hall would need, Roth continued. He estimated the cost for the borough could be around $20,000 or more depending on the scope of the study.

"It costs nothing for proposals," he added.

The feasibility study can take about 7 to 9 months and once completed will offer the borough a better scope of potential projects.

"This is a county-wide project," Long said. "That would be the only outdoor pool in the area beyond the pool in North Bend."

Long believes improvement of the pool could later open the door for partnerships between the borough and other organizations such as the Chestnut Grove Sports Complex which is currently under construction in Castanea Township.

"I think the more community buys in, the better off we are," he continued.

Councilwoman Rainelle Wallace encouraged members of council to take a look at a copy of State College's feasibility study. Long left a copy at the borough office.

"They provide a tremendous amount of information. Before we even consider doing any construction at the pool it would be foolish not to have (a feasibility study) done," she said.

After receiving approval, Walker said he would reach out to Long for assistance in preparing the RFP.

Councilman Dan McCloskey was absent from Tuesday night's meeting held at the Mill Hall Borough Fire Company.