Additionally, the warm-water pool may include a shallow area and underwater benches where adults can relax or small children can become acclimated to the water.
Mayor Ed Burtner also asked that the parks board consider an option to build a ramp into the warm water pool instead of stairs.
"I haven't had any other comments with regard to the preliminary design," he said.
Although the parks board received a $1.4 million allocation from the state two years ago, officials have been struggling with ways to finance the full cost of the project, which is now estimated at $2.9 million.
Officials plan to pursue several fundraising opportunities, such as private donations of funding from groups or organizations that might use the pool on a regular basis.
Still, commissioners supported a plan to request that the Clark County Fiscal Court on join the city commission is a joint funding plan. One plan that commissioners are considering involves signing on to a long-term loan in which the city and county would each pay a portion of the costs. If a loan is taken to fund the remaining costs in full, preliminary estimates indicate that the city would have to pay about $70,000 in debt service each year while the county would pay about $35,000.
Burtner indicated that many of the details remain uncertain such as the final cost and amount of fundraising. But he said he plans to address the Fiscal Court about the plan at it's next regular meeting and would like to have a general consensus of the commission on the funding plan beforehand.
"If any part of it fails to materialize, then yes, we will have to come back to the commission," he said. "But I want to be in a position that if â?¦ I talk to the court about this project, I want to have some belief that what we are proposing is something that the commission will support."
The commission also supported Tuesday the concept of a contract with the Winchester YMCA to manage the pool.
Officials estimate that the pool will cost about $200,000 each year to operate, but only generate about $140,000 in revenue.
Under the current contract proposal, the parks board would agree to pay about $40,000, which will fund utility expenses. Winchester YMCA would accept the remaining $20,000 shortfall, with plans to operate a fitness center nearby to recoup some of the costs.
Although a contract has not been finalized, commissioners agreed that supporting an agreement "in concept" would provide an understanding of how the pool will be operated once it opens.
"Basically what we are saying is this is going to be the framework for the operating agreement," Burtner said. "There are details that still need to be worked out â?¦ and it will be brought back to this body for formal approval at a later date."
