Athletic Club pitches swimming pool; Culbertson council sets conditions and seeks site

The Culbertson Athletic Club proposed early in 1962 to build a community swimming pool and lease it to the town, and the Town Council accepted the idea conditionally while reserving final approval until legal, health and site issues were resolved.

On Feb. 5 the Athletic Club asked the council to approve construction of a pool that the club would build and the town would operate; under the club’s proposal the town would run pool operations while construction receipts would go to the Athletic Club. The council voted to accept the Athletic Club’s proposal provided that all contracts and leases met legal requirements, construction secured approval from the State Board of Health and a suitable site could be found.

Council minutes show follow-up activity over the spring. On March 5 the council declined to accept a draft pool contract without further clarification from a club representative identified in the minutes as Mr. Vincent. On April 2 the council directed the school to advertise a tract of land for sale to be used as a potential pool site, and later July minutes show the council awaiting an attorney’s ruling before taking further action on the pool proposal.

The record shows the council repeatedly returned to the pool subject over multiple meetings but did not adopt a construction contract or commit town operating funds beyond conditional acceptance and site investigation. The minutes record no final vote to build or finance construction by year-end; the pool matter remained under consideration as the council pursued other municipal priorities.