ROBERTSDALE, Alabama --- If all goes according to plan, officials in Robertsdale say they will be ready to test the city’s new splash pad in less than two weeks.

Public Works Director Scott Gilbert said at Monday’s council meeting that construction on the 2,000 square foot facility, which was approved in October of last year, is on schedule and should be ready for a test run on Thursday, May 24. If the test run proves successful, Gilbert said, the facility could be open to the public as early as Friday, May 25.

At Monday’s meeting, the Council approved a set of rules to be placed at the park as required by the city’s insurance company with the stipulation that any changes could be made as deemed necessary.

Mayor Charles Murphy said the rules of operation for the facility would likely not change, except for the hours of operation which are now set at 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. March 15 through Oct. 15.

Murphy said that the facility would likely only be open daily during the summer. Once school is in session, he said, the facility would only be open on weekends.

The city’s Public Works Department will create a sign which will display the list, which includes 21 rules most pertaining to safety and liability issues.

The sign will also include phone numbers to call to report maintenance-related issues. Hours of operation could be displayed on a separate sign, which could be changed as necessary, officials said.

The City Council voted unanimously in November to contract with JM Dawson and Co. to provide materials for the pad.

The company, headquartered in Pelham with regional offices in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., will provide fixtures at a projected cost of $81,000, and will act as a consultant on the project, which will be conducted by the city’s public works department.

Council members voted unanimously at the October meeting to choose a baseball theme over railroad and farming for the facility. The company has also incorporated a bear, the local schools’ mascot, into the design of the facility.

Murphy said a decision to use a product called cool deck, rather than rubber, cut projected costs for decking on the project in half, allowing the city to spend more money on fixtures for the project.

Because JM Dawson is a state-approved contractor, the city does not have to bid out the project, Murphy said, but with the council’s unanimous approval on Tuesday, bids were solicited for the concrete work for walkways on the project and for the cool decking which, explained City Engineer Greg Smith, contains pockets that trap water to keep the pad’s surface cool.

In March the Council voted to accept a bid from Reynolds Ready Mix for concrete material at a cost of $78 per cubic yard for the project. Reynolds presented the only bid for the project and, Smith said, came in around the budgeted cost.

The Council also received one bid on the cool decking for the project from Cox Pools for $15,750, which was accepted at Monday’s meeting.

The Council rejected bids from Cox Pools and EJ Builders on concrete slab housing and finishing work for the project, saying that Cox Pools did not present a bid based on the bid specifications for the project, and EJ Builders did not meet the specifications or qualifications for the project, which required that bidders present examples of three similar projects.

Smith said the city would utilize JM Dawson as a consultant to use city employees to complete the project.

The City Council voted unanimously at Monday’s meeting to accept the rules for the facility with all Council members present.

In related business on Monday, the council voted to renew its contract for property and liability insurance with Blackmon Insurance Co. at a cost of $113,910.

City Chief Financial Officer Ann Simpson said this year’s cost was an increase of approximately $3,000 over the previous year. Most of the additional cost, she said, was because of the addition of the splash pad.

Simpson said $64,000 of the cost was for property coverage. The city owns approximately $21 million in total property, Simpson said. Another $46,000 covered city-owned vehicles, she said. The city operates around 77 vehicles.

In other business Monday, the council:

• Vote to waive sewer tapping fees for Under His Wings, which would normally cost $1,500.
• Approved preliminary site plans for construction at the Robertsdale Church of Christ. Council member Joe Kitchens abstained from voting.
• Donated $1,000 to the Central Baldwin Middle School Family Career & Community Leaders of America to attend the national S.T.A.R. competition in June.
• Agreed to allow the Robertsdale High School Peer Helpers to use the city’s digital sign on the north side of the city to advertise the Inaugural Bear Fair and 5K Run which will be held Saturday, May 12 at RHS.
• Heard from Tiffany Plato and TSA students at Central Baldwin Middle School about a construction project currently underway at the mental health facility on U.S. Highway 90 in Robertsdale.
• Appointed City Clerk Shannon Ellison as elections manager and absentee manager for the upcoming municipal elections.
• Changed the meeting date for the next council meeting to 8 a.m. Friday, May 18 because the mayor and council members will be attending the state League of Municipalities Convention Monday and Tuesday, May 21 and22.
• Approved an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation regarding the city’s street light project.
• Approved the construction of a pedestrian crossing at the corner of Fairgrounds Road and Highway 59.
• Approved a request by Chief Brad Kendrick to apply for a grant for a digital radio system for the city’s police department.
• Approved adjustments for the city’s 2012 budget which would decrease the budget surplus from $141,265 to $80,812.
• Approved a sign renewal for the Robertsdale High School volleyball team at a cost of $150.
• Adopted Resolution No. 007-12 to contract with ALDOT for the replacement of a bride on College Avenue.
• Adopted Ordinance No. 003-12 to comply with state regulations stating that the new mayor and council will be sworn in on the first Monday in November.