Council approves large water‑park slide contract; transcript shows inconsistency with earlier $20,000 budget note

Tonganoxie City Council on March 2 approved maintenance work on the city’s elevated water‑park slides after staff reviewed bids and recommended repair work timed to be completed before pools fill in May.

Staff told the council they had budgeted up to $20,000 for slide maintenance in 2026 and initially recommended a lower‑cost maintenance package rather than an extensive repaint or replacement. They presented two quotes and recommended the low bidder for the necessary fiberglass repairs, seam work and interior polishing. Jason Hoskinson and other staff explained that materials and labor costs have risen.

During the motion phase, a councilmember moved to approve slide maintenance with Dale Cooper LLC for an amount not to exceed $616,408; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Several councilmembers and staff noted the work will extend the life of the existing structures for a few years. One councilmember commented that the materials alone are expensive; another said the action should be viewed as life‑extension rather than simple repair.

The transcript records a major numerical discrepancy between staff’s earlier statement that the project was budgeted at around $20,000 and the later motion specifying $616,408. That discrepancy is recorded in the meeting transcript and remains unresolved in the public record; council did not pause the motion to reconcile the difference during the meeting. The council approved the contract by voice vote; staff said the work should be ordered in time for pool filling in May.