Groundbreaking for Hennessey’s $2.1 million swimming pool and bathhouse is planned for the week of Aug. 13, said Tiffany Tillman, town administrator.

“We’ve been promised we’ll be open on Memorial Day weekend,” she said.

Tillman made the comments Tuesday night after the Hennessey Board of Trustees gave their unanimous approval of the final pool plans during a special meeting.

The next step is for the state Health Department to give its OK, but Tillman said she expected that would take only a couple of days.

Carrothers Construction Co. of Paola, Kan., was awarded the bid in February to construct the project. The plan includes a 100x200 foot pool, a 1,660 foot bathhouse and a 6,100 foot pool deck.

All board members were present for the July 30 meeting: Mayor Bert Gritz, Vice Mayor Clif Vogt, Wes Hardin, Keith Meek and Richard Simunek.

Board members looked over the plans that Gritz and Vogt had gone over earlier that day with construction company representatives.

Simunek asked how deep the pool will be.

“Twelve feet in the diving area,” said Gritz, “but it will start out level.”

Gritz said there will also be an ADA power lift, and a “mother’s bench” (in the water), plus a basketball goal that are not shown on the original rendition given to the board.

He told Simunek, “Every three hours, every drop of water will circulate through the pool.”

Hardin asked about grass inside the fenced in area, and was told it will be artificial turf.

“Good,” he said.

Public Works Director Curtis Turner said the pool will be 75 feet long, which is a little longer than the old pool.

“There will be a lot of towns around us that will be envious of our pool,” Turner said.

Tillman said she hopes the town can work with the school in getting students interested in lifeguard certification, as well as be certified to give swimming lessons.

The pool will be located west of the town-owned park on the east side of Mitchell Road in the middle of the school-owned sports complex.

The pool is being funded by a three-quarter-cent sales tax. Voters approved the tax by 75 percent in August 2018. That tax went into effect Jan. 1 and the town started paying on a monthly 15-year loan in April.

The board also approved final payment of $27,712.93 to Abilez Construction for phase I of a two-phase sewer line project. The new line runs from the south side to the north side of State Highway 51.

Turner said the company “did a good job and it works.”

He said they tested it after heavy rains in June.

Turner said now they need to move forward with the next phase so they can offer sewer service to businesses north of S.H. 51.

It will be placed on the town’s Tuesday, Aug. 13, agenda.