Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Plan to be reviewed by structural engineer
Hartley's new pool was supposed to open this summer, but a failed safety inspection has led to an uncertain future.
A plan to remedy issues at Hartley's never-opened new pool received tentative approval from a state board.
According to City Administrator Erica Haack, the Iowa Electrical Examining Board on Aug. 18 approved a plan that would address electrical inspection failures at the pool. She noted the approval came with several stipulations, and nothing has been set in stone.
"We don't have all the information yet for the engineer to make an informed decision and present it to the council. At least this week, we're still waiting for more information," Haack said. "We're making progress, but still waiting on more information."
A third-party structural engineer is reviewing the plan, which would address equipotential bonding issues at the pool. Haack said city officials hoped to receive the engineer's report by the end of the week.
The bonding method is used as a safety measure to reduce the risk of severe shock should stray voltage polarize one of the objects in the pool. As per national electric code, the bonding wire must be inspected by a state or local electrical inspector before it gets buried under concrete to ensure the work was done properly. The inspections didn't take place at Hartley's pool during the construction process, a fact that wasn't known until after a vast majority of work was completed.
Some material was used incorrectly during the bonding installation as well, according to previous council discussion. The issues forced state officials to fail the pool's safety inspection in June.
Haack said the plan approved last week by the Iowa Electrical Examining Board only deals with the equipotential bonding side of things.
"What they approved was preliminary," she explained. "There are some contingency guidelines that [general contractor Eriksen Construction] needs to follow before they get final approval."
If the third-party engineer signs off on the plan, Haack said it will move on to the pool's project manager and design engineer Michael Fisher for review.
