The Haines Borough Assembly voted Tuesday to prioritize getting swimmers into the pool—so long as the contractor on the job accepts a change order to fix the torn liner.
The swimming pool has been under construction since May, when Indiana-based contractor RenoSys began work. The scope of work included renovating the drainage system, installing new floors and drains and showers in the men’s and women’s locker rooms.
Public facilities director Ed Coffland said that the newly installed pool liner is leaking in several places—about 5 to 15 gallons per day. Coffland said the water creates a mess, but he doesn’t believe it’s damaging the facility.
RenoSys president Steve Comstock told the CVN last week that the reason for delay is not the liner, which he claimed could be repaired underwater, but a delay in chemical delivery.
Assembly member Stephanie Scott asked why the borough doesn’t “ditch” its contractor and buy a new liner to put in.
Coffland said he wants to give the current contractor a chance to replace the liner. “It would take a significant amount of time to get a new contractor in here and purchase a new liner and install it, but that’s certainly an option,” he said. “My feeling is that we should give these people a chance to replace it, if they would do it. If not, then my recommendation would be to hire the second contractor, Island Contractors out of Juneau.”
The assembly voted to advance a change order with the contractor for a new liner, and withhold further payment pending an acceptable liner.
Since Oct. 25, the borough has been collecting a daily penalty from RenoSys for its delays. Fees totaled about $30,000 as of Tuesday. In total, the borough still owes the contractor $130,000 for the remainder of their work, Coffland said.
“The incentive to get them to sign a statement like that is that as of the date they sign the statement, we will stop accruing the late fees,” assembly member Brenda Josephson said. “However won’t forgive the late fees that we already have.”
Haines Dolphin swimmer Lucia Chapell said that the delay in the pool might affect her performance all season. “All of the people I’m going to be competing against this season are about three months ahead of me in their training,” she said.