Hope’s splash pad at Dr. Roscoe Smith Park is expected to open for the season this weekend after Hope Parks & Tourism Superintendent Summer Chambers told the Hope City Board Tuesday night that staff had completed training on the new system and programmed it for summer operation.

The full video of this meeting can be seen on the City of Hope's Facebook page.

Chambers said the splash pad had been tested Tuesday while staff trained on the equipment. “I trained on it today,” Chambers said. “I know how to operate it, but weather depending, we are ready to open Saturday.”

She said the system had already been programmed for summer hours. “For the entire summer once we turn it on, it'll be on 8am to 9pm,” Chambers said. “Anytime after 9pm, you cannot activate that push button until 8am the next morning.”

The splash pad discussion came near the close of a Hope City Board meeting that also included discussion of audiovisual and security plans for the city’s Recreation Aquatic Center, approval of a sanitation bond ordinance and several other matters.

City Manager J.R. Wilson presented board members with an audio-video wishlist for the Recreation Aquatic Center. Wilson said the proposal from WillTech totaled approximately $523,000, considerably higher than the city’s original estimate of about $300,000.

“What this is.. this is our cream of the crop audio visual wish list,” Wilson said. “Now, this is way beyond our budgeted amount.”

WillTech representative Bill O'Hare outlined plans for surveillance cameras, access control systems, public address systems, event audio, scoreboards and swimming timing systems throughout the facility.

“The way it stands today, is a beautiful system,” O’Hare said, “And it definitely would be something that would be justified with the facility that you guys are building.”

The proposal included outdoor cameras, sound systems for basketball courts and pool areas, paging systems and audiovisual setups for meeting and party rooms as a well as a way to show movies to those standing in the indoor pool.

Mayor Don Still questioned whether some portions of the proposal might be excessive. “Just looking at this, do you think we need this many speakers in this facility?” Still asked. “It looks like it's a little bit of overkill to me.”

Board member Mark Ross also questioned whether some restroom areas required multiple speakers. “We don't want to stand in there a long time listening,” Ross said.

O’Hare acknowledged that some savings could likely be found by redesigning portions of the system. “I think there’s room to definitely that can be cut out of the sound side of it,” O’Hare said.

Wilson said city staff would continue reviewing the proposal before bringing recommendations back to the board.

Discussion also centered on the number of scoreboards proposed for the basketball courts.

Earlier in the meeting, the board approved an ordinance authorizing issuance of up to $3 million in waste disposal revenue bonds connected with the city sanitation system.

Attorney Taylor Marshall of Friday, Eldridge and Clark explained he would be overseeing the city's plan to work with the Rural Water Financing Agency on the bond issue. He told the board the agency would sell bonds June 9 before returning with exact terms for the city’s consideration.

“We don't really have an interest rate today that we can accept,” she said.

Marshall explained the ordinance set maximum limits including a true interest cost of no greater than 4.75 percent per year. “But we're expecting to come quite a bit under that," he said.

Wilson said the financing arrangement would save the city money by avoiding some reserve requirements while benefiting from the agency’s bond rating.

The board later approved a request from the Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation to hold a wild game dinner fundraiser at the Hope airport in October. Wilson explained the proposal involved placing a tent outside the hangar area while still allowing public airport operations to continue.

Board members discussed whether such requests should be handled on a case-by-case basis because of liability and airport access concerns.

“I just wanted to be fair,” Vice-mayor Kiffinea Talley said. “I just wanted to be clear across the board on what the intent is.”

The board ultimately approved allowing the event in the proposed outdoor area.

Board members also approved increasing the city credit card limit from $15,000 to $25,000 after Finance Director Cindy Clark said departments had saved money by ordering parts online rather than through traditional vendors. “For just one part, he saved about $2,000,” Clark said of recent fire department repairs.

Wilson said the city street department had also benefited from online parts purchases and in-house repairs.

The board also received an update on hail damage inspections at city properties. Wilson said approximately 33 properties had been identified for review. Wilson said the city’s insurance process would initially reimburse 50 percent of approved claims, with the remainder available after repairs are completed within two years.

The city manager also updated the board on plans for the future fire department site along West Third Street. Wilson said conceptual plans could come before the board in June, with bidding potentially beginning in July.

“If you all have been out there lately, the buildings are all down,” Wilson said.

The board additionally discussed naming details for Dr. Roscoe Smith Park after receiving correspondence requesting the park use Smith’s academic title designation. Board members elected to keep the previously approved wording with the honorific, "Dr."

Near the end of the meeting, officials announced a May 29th benefit lunch for Hope police officer Keith Powell to be held at a location on Hervey Street just across from the Harbor Freight Store.