Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
Bryson Trust will finance upgrades
Work will be done at pool, park
By William Kincaid
CELINA - The city pool and Mercelina Park are scheduled to get $130,000 in upgrades this year, to be paid through the Bryson Trust Fund.
Celina Safety Service Director Rick Bachelor told council members about the projects during a personnel and finance meeting this week.
The Bryson Trust Fund, an account dating back to the 1950s, is expected to finance $55,000 for painting the pool and other equipment, $50,000 for two new shelter houses at Mercelina Park and $25,000 for touch-up work to a park parking lot.
"The city approached them (Bryson Trust Fund)," Celina Mayor Sharon LaRue said.
First Financial Bank of Celina is the trustee of the fund.
"We were beginning to get chips of paint in our ... robot that cleans the bottom of the pool," Bachelor said about the need for painting.
The Mercelina Park parking lot to get repair work is near the hot water hole along Lake Shore Drive.
"It's kind of a pie-shaped piece of asphalt down there," public works superintendent Joe Wolfe said, adding that it will be a rectangular parking lot once work is completed.
The new shelter houses will replace two that were taken down.
In 2010, city officials considered not opening the pool because of tight city finances and a nearly $50,000 deficit in the pool's budget. Several residents beckoned the city to reconsider.
The Bryson Trust fund eventually made a one-time $50,000 appropriation to keep the pool open.
With the exception of that financial lifeline, the trust fund has only been used for capital and expansion projects the last couple of years, LaRue said.
Council members learned this week that the pool is expected to have a deficit of $39,000 this year.
"That will be covered by the general fund," Bachelor said.
