A key player in a potential reconstruction of the Charlesworth Swimming Pool at Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville has backed out of the project.
At a special meeting of the USD 445 School Board on Monday, district leadership shared that the facilities services company, Navitas, informed the district that they would no longer be involved in the project after multiple remarks directed at them from the community group working to save the pool. Superintendent Dr. Craig Correll says this is unfortunate.
The pool is one of the only competition-size pools in the area, and was closed in February of 2024 when a filter failed. Structural issues were then discovered during the summer of 2024 when contractors went to set new air conditioners on the roof. Since then, significant community support has been shown, and a community group says they've raised the $1.6 million needed to add to the district's $800,000 to rebuild the roof.
Navitas has been involved with prior upgrade projects at the district, and Board Member Cindy Price says this news is disturbing and a setback to the project.
Price says this issue has been very taxing on her.
Price says she thinks part of the issue goes back to a bond that was not passed in 2020 that would have provided more money for projects like this. In addition, she called attention to the Concerned Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, who were against tax increases for the district and circulated a petition to call for a vote on increasing the mill levy to pay for district repairs.
Board Member Darrel Harbaugh says it would be nice to fix the pool, but he has some concerns about the building going forward.
Harbaugh says if the pool is reopened, its use will remain the same unless something changes.
Board Member Matt Jordan says he feels like the school board is being portrayed as the villain in this story.
The board approved $800,000 that can be used either for rebuilding the pool or demolition. A new contractor will be needed to provide updated information regarding the cost to rebuild the roof now that Navitas is out of the picture. A decision on the fate of the pool is expected at the next school board meeting next Monday, December 8th at 4 p.m. at the district office.
