Galesburg Aldermen approved a bid on Monday night to repair the Hawthorne Pool, even though the work is now almost $1 million than originally anticipated.
Council is not sure how they’re going to cover that $900,000 difference other than to use American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The three bids received were all over budget. Staff did work with the lowest bidder to reduce the price by delaying certain components of the work.
Even Councilmember Jaclyn Smith-Esters, who voted yes, acknowledged that other priorities like a Community Center may have a harder time getting funded because of this vote.
Wayne Dennis says the city has a tendency to let things “go to hell in a hand basket” and blamed past councils for not budgeting to maintain the pool.
It’s worth noting that even after the work is done nothing will look substantially different.
The most pressing issues with the pool are the columns and the roof.
There was originally an agenda item to appoint a new city manager on Tuesday but that item was removed earlier Tuesday.
