HUMBOLDT — Humboldt Municipal Pool will open its doors for the summer swimming season May 23.
The pool will be open 1-9 p.m. seven days a week, as long as weather allows and a Humboldt swim team competition isn’t being held. The pool will close at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays to allow for adult aerobics classes. Humboldt City Council members, at their regular meeting Monday, debated whether the pool should be closed while the aerobics classes are in session.
Council member Dan Julich suggested pool officials rope off an area for the aerobics classes while leaving a portion of the pool available for the general public.
However, Council member Sam Murrow noted that many of the adult aerobics participants are elderly and would have a harder time if younger swimmers were at the pool at the same time.
Murrow also noted that pool improvements last year were supported by a significant bloc of Humboldt’s elderly population because it would provide more recreation activities for adults.
The hour changes were endorsed by the city’s Swimming Pool Committee, Council member Sean McReynolds noted.
In a related matter, Council members hired Justin Lytle and Randi Barnett as co-managers. They will oversee pool lifeguards and be responsible for all concessions purchased and sold during the season. Barnett and Lytle begin work Saturday.
The pool season runs through Aug. 18.
WAYNE CARSON was appointed by Council members to fill the unexpired term of Jeremy Weilert. Weilert resigned his post after moving out of Humboldt’s First Ward to the other side of town.
Carson was the only applicant. His candidacy was endorsed by Mayor Bob Sharp. The seat will be up for re-election next April.
NUISANCE citations will be filed in Humboldt Municipal Court against Roy Fritch for a pair of properties he owns, a house at 916 Cherokee St. and for his business, Eighth Street Auto, 821 N. Eighth St.
Fritch has done some work to clean up the property on Cherokee Street although other work remains undone, Council members were told.
In addition, Humboldt Police Chief Dan Onnen said several untagged vehicles dot the Eighth Street Auto property and should be removed. The nuisance citation for Eighth Street Auto was approved with a 6-2 vote, Carson and Jerry Griffith opposed; the other nuisance citation was approved unanimously.
THE CITY will spend about $1,200 to gauge whether Humboldt residents are properly educated about natural gas safety.
The mandate was handed down by the federal government to ensure municipalities are properly informing residents and businesses on how to respond if a natural gas leak is suspected.
The city sends out an informational brochure to gas customers each winter, City Administrator Larry Tucker said.
McReynolds cast the only dissenting vote to hire Paradigm Company to administer a survey on local gas knowledge.
ELEVEN HOMES were renovated through home repair grants from the state.
Susan Galemore of the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission gave a final report on the grant project, which utilized $222,222 in state funds, matched by $54,826 in local contributions, either by the homeowners or the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program.
“The program went very smoothly,” Galemore said. “You have a nice community that was very receptive to the program.”
Galemore noted that 34 applications were received. Eleven applicants exceeded income limits, another 10 or so were ineligible because of back property taxes owed or lack of house insurance, “and there were some that we just ran out money before we could help them.”
Galemore said SEKRPC likely will place a moratorium on housing rehabilitation grants in the area for at least the next year so that administrators can reassess housing needs in the area.
THE Humboldt Housing team is sponsoring a senior housing site tour to Garnett Thursday. Those interested in going should meet on the west side of the city square for a 1:30 p.m. departure. Approximate return will be 5 p.m.
For more information call Humboldt City Hall, 473-3232.
