story by Ryan Saylor
rsaylor@thecitywire.com
The city of Fort Smith will be without a parks and recreation director effective Nov. 21 following the Monday (Nov. 10) resignation of Mike Alsup. The move is not expected to impact work on the Ben Geren Aquatics Center, according to city and county officials.
According to Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman, Alsup submitted his resignation Monday to take a job in Tennessee. The resignation comes the same day the Sebastian County Quorum Court approved on third reading an operations contract with American Resort Management of Erie, Pa., to manage the marketing and pre-opening operations of the Ben Geren Aquatics Center.
In spite of Alsup's resignation, which Dingman said was unexpected, Sebastian County Judge David Hudson said he expects the water park construction and pre-opening work to stay on track.
"He was the city's representative, but we have a construction manager who's accountable on the project to both the (city and) county government and myself. And the county's more responsible for oversight of the construction project. The city, under the agreement, was going to operate the facility. But our recommendation now is that we employ a management company. And that will serve both entities," Hudson said. "That will have some impact in regard to some of the follow up details that he was working on in regard to furniture, fixtures and equipment and things of that nature."
According to Hudson, the governments will be able to work together to gather information on the various items Alsup was working on before his resignation in order to keep the project from falling behind schedule. Hudson said he had been in touch with the cities of Clarksville and Rogers regarding their water parks, which have opened within the last two years, in order to compare notes on the three respective projects.
Dingman echoed Hudson, saying that the change in parks leadership would not change the timelines for completion, adding, "It's our project and it's still cooking."
Beyond the work on fixtures and equipment, Dingman did note that Alsup had been instrumental in working out details on the operating agreement with ARM and said with the contract and funding now approved by the quorum court and the city's board of directors, the contract was ready to be signed and work begin on marketing and other items associated with the $88,000 contract split between Fort Smith and Sebastian County.
"Mike had already been in touch with the management company on the things they need and the next step with them," he said, noting that having the contract in place at the time of Alsup's departure in two weeks will be beneficial to the project.
"One thing that helps with the transition … (is that) we've got a management company to help guide us with this project."
Hudson noted that beyond the management company being in place, city administration has been active in the aquatics center project and would continue playing a key role in the absence of Alsup.
"There's always been transition in government positions with the salary levels that we have in government and the other opportunities. I don't remember any right in the middle of a project like this, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. But Mike's been a key component. He's worked a lot of the administrative details. But we also have Jeff Dingman who's been very directly involved and Ray Gosack. So those individuals are still there and there's other staff members in the city, along with the county, so I'm sure we can regroup and followup appropriately."
Dingman said it will "take a while to get a suitable replacement" for the position.
"We're looking for proper experience and background for handling that department," he said. "But in the meantime, we'll handle it until we get the replacement."
Hudson confirmed that the the aquatics center is still on schedule for a Memorial Day 2015 opening date.