NEWBERRY – Newberry City Council met Tuesday to prioritize components of the proposed expansion of the Newberry Recreation Complex and to respond to questions presented by the Capital Project Sales Tax Commission.
Mayor Foster Senn explained that the commission sent questions to council as a follow-up to the presentation for the proposed expansion of the Newberry Recreation Complex.
The questions were as follows:
• Will there be adequate legal coverage for the skate park due to increased risk of injury with this activity?
• There have been issues with staffing the splash pad in the past since part time employees are kept to 28 hours per week or less. What will be done to manage this if it is expanded?
• Would any part of the funds go to beautifying the existing areas: properly grass and cement around the ball fields so there is not so much mud?
City Manager Matt DeWitt addressed each question for consideration of council. He noted that the city would cover the skate park as it would any other activity it pursues.
“The city received a quote and will expand our liability coverage to include the new skate park upon completion,” he said. “This will provide adequate liability coverage for the skate park.”
DeWitt said the coverage would be provided by the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s risk pool, which covers all other municipality-owned skate parks around the state.
In reference to staffing the expanded splash park, DeWitt said the 28-hour threshold is really 30 hours per week as set by the federal mandate in the Affordable Care Act. However, the city stops at 28 hours so as not to hit the mark.
“If this part-time threshold is exceeded, the city must offer benefits to these seasonal workers,” he said. “This proposition could become very costly and detrimental to the overall successful operations of Gully Washer Splash Park.”
DeWitt said the city was increasing pay for the new splash season, which they hoped would attract more workers. With employment low in Newberry County, it is difficult to hire, he said.
“We believe those that come to work for the City of Newberry receive a quality work experience, and it allows them to consider possible future career opportunities with the city,” he said. “We continue to monitor pay structure and what we can do to help gain and retain quality seasonal workers.”
DeWitt said the city will increase outreach to local high school and college students, as well as others looking for seasonal work.
In reference to the question of if funding would go to any beautification efforts, DeWitt said yes and that the facility was still an active construction site as various small projects were finished, such as a batting cage. With the expansion, he said the unfinished areas would see new construction and beautification.
“The City of Newberry has a history of ensuring our facilities look and function their very best upon completion, and this project will be no different,” he said.
Council then discussed the prioritization of the project components submitted for CPST funding. Senn said Alliance Engineering’s estimate for the city’s proposal was $5.16 million. In November, these were prioritized, he said and several projects to include the walking trail (nature trail) improvement, arboretum garden, Frisbee golf course and additional parking were eliminated by council. Senn said that council had also reduced the scope of the Hidden Lake and dock improvement, playground expansion, maintenance access drive and maintenance building and additional restrooms.
These eliminations and reductions, Senn said, reduced the cost estimate from $5.16 million to $4.085 million.
For the 11 components of the project, the city prioritized them as follows:
1. Splash pad expansion.
2. Miracle field.
3. Skate park.
4. Maintenance access drive and maintenance building.
5. Connector sidewalk and nature trail (paved walking trail).
6. Hidden Lake dock and nature area.
7. Additional shelters.
8. Shade structures.
9. Additional restrooms.
10. Playground addition.
11. Cabin driveway and parking improvements.
Councilperson Lemont Glasgow made a motion, seconded by Councilperson Jackie Holmes to approve the city’s response and prioritization of the components of the proposed expansion of the Newberry Recreation Complex.
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