(Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

PARKERSBURG — An agreement for the YMCA to manage the municipal swimming pools was approved on first reading Tuesday night by Parkersburg City Council.

The agreement, which advances to city council for final reading, would authorize management fees totalling more than $591,057 to the YMCA to manage the pools at City Park and Southwood Park and the waterslide at Southwood Park for the 2025, 2026 and 2027 seasons. The payments would be $190,026 in year one and $197,775 and $203,256 in the second and third years, respectively.

The ordinance was passed by an 8-0 vote. Council Vice President Roger Brown presided at the meeting as President Mike Reynolds did not attend.

The city ended an agreement in June with USA Management of Maryland to manage the pools. The YMCA was commissioned to manage the pools for the rest of the year.

The agreement passed without discussion.

In other business, council approved a resolution making mid-year budget revisions that included increases of $250,000 and $175,000 for business and occupation tax and revenue from interest. Also part of the revision were another $175,000 for emergency demolitions, another $40,000 to resurface the City Park splash park and $30,000 for a side-by-side to be used by the fire department.

Council also reappointed Seth Cressey and appointed Mark Gwynn to the Board of Zoning Appeals and appointed Tom Farrah to the Parkersburg Utility Board for a term ending June 26.

Among the public speakers were Bill Vincent of the Wood County Recreation Commission, who provided updates on commission programs for athletic and recreational opportunities for kids, and announced that Kim Stephens Caldwell, women’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee, will be the keynote speaker at the Legacy Fundraiser for the commission on April 19 at the Blennerhassett Hotel.

Caldwell is a 2007 graduate of Parkersburg South High School where she played ball for her father, who coached the team.

She became head coach at Tennessee in April 2024.

Vincent also thanked the council for its support.

“We can’t do what we’re doing without the support financially and voluntarily,” he said.

Mayor Tom Joyce commended the staff at the recreation commission. Joyce is on the board of the organization.

“I enjoy serving on the board,” he said. “I think they do good work.”

Mark Lewis, executive director of the Parkersburg Wood County Convention and Visitors Bureau, spoke to council about the advantages of its new offices at 113 Ann St. adjacent to the floodwall at Point Park.

The bureau had around 7,000 visitors in 2023 and 8,000 in 20 24, he said.

“It’s been fantastic,” Lewis, who returned to his hometown of Parkersburg 13 years ago, said.

He credited the location of the offices for the successful years.

“It’s location, location, location,” Lewis said. “Just like real estate.”

Also in the public forum portion of the meeting were residents speaking in support of the American Sign Language interpreter, homeless issues and the sanitation department.