A project to improve the current bathhouse at the Jefferson Municipal Pool may be delayed.

Jefferson Parks and Recreation Director Denny Hammen says they received a bid to renovate the facility to include two family restrooms and two hallways that would allow for people to bypass using either locker room on their way to the pool. However, he explains a complication that was discovered after the fact with the contractor.

“But then we ran into a snag. He (the contractor) was not able to get an electrician for the project, and so we’re kind of stalled right as to what we’re going to do next. We’ll be working with the architect to see if it’s still feasible to get this project done before the beginning of the pool season. And if that does not work out, we plan on doing the project, we’ll probably push it back to the fall, after we close for the season. Because we do not want to shorten our pool season by any means.”      

Hammen points out the engineering firm Atura Architecture estimates the total cost of the project is $100,000. City Administrator Mike Palmer says payment for the project will be from hotel/motel tax revenues. 

“That $100,000 will come from the hotel/motel funds that the parks and rec (gets). They get 20-percent of what we get for hotel/motel. That’s built up over the years to enough money to cover these costs.” 

Hammen adds these improvements will allow for more privacy for families of young children, which several other facilities have been converting their restrooms to include.