HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-08-22 Public Comment - A. Williamson - Public Comment to Support Reopening the Bozeman Swim CenterFrom:Andrew Williamson
To:Agenda
Subject:Public Comment to Support Reopening the Bozeman Swim Center
Date:Monday, August 8, 2022 12:42:58 PM
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City Commissioners,
I am writing to provide public comment for the August 9, 2022 meeting and ask that theCity of Bozeman expedite the process of issuing a Certificate of Occupancy for theBozeman Swim Center effective October 1, 2022. I have reviewed the July 22, 2022 TrussAnalysis Report completed by Cushing Terrell, and I am basing this request on two keypieces of information found in the report:
#1: The July 22, 2022 Truss Analysis Report determined that “…there was no evidence ofwater intrusion from the roof. The moisture content of the wood is in the 8-9% range. Thegoverning code for wood design, the National Design Specification for Wood Construction(NDS), does not require wood design values to be reduced if the service moisture contentis lower than 19%.” The Truss Analysis Report also noted that “Much of the waterstaining, checks and splits observed on site appear similar to the photos in the 2012Morrison Maierle Report. It is very likely that much of the staining and damage happenedprior to the last major reroof project in 1987.” In short, the condition of the roof trusses atthe Swim Center has remained unchanged since the 2012 study. The trusses are notcompromised.
#2: The July 22, 2022 Truss Analysis Report determined that “The displacement of the west
wall was measured to be the same as noted in the 2012 Morrison Maierle report.” TheTruss Analysis Report also noted that “This amount of movement is not a structuralconcern as the behavior is consistent with the original design of the structure and asevidenced by the 2012 Morrison Maierle report and our observations, the condition hasremained the same for the last 10 years.” In short, the condition of the west wall of theSwim Center has remained unchanged since the 2012 study. The west wall is notcompromised.
The Bozeman Swim Center was closed out of an abundance of caution this Spring, and ithas remained closed until the full extent of the structural issues could be determined. Thishas now been completed, and the Truss Analysis Report provides a best-case scenario forthe City of Bozeman. The Truss Analysis Report noted no significant changes to the SwimCenter’s structure or its integrity since it was last analyzed in 2012. The report was veryclear on this, and the importance of these findings cannot be understated. While repairs tothe Swim Center are necessary, they do not in any way prevent the resumption of normaloperations. Repair work can be done during business hours when usage of the SwimCenter is less than the peak usage before and after school, and user group schedules canundoubtedly become flexible to provide access for construction should it becomenecessary.
Again, I formally request that the City of Bozeman expedite the process for issuing a
Certificate of Occupancy for the Bozeman Swim Center effective October 1, 2022. Thisallows the city time to transition its staff and resources from the Bogert Pool, and it allowsthe greater swim community to make preparations among the various user groups for day-to-day usage, for the high school swim season, and for upcoming swim meets.
Thank you.
Andrew Williamson57 Granite Peak DriveBozeman, Montana 59718(406) 595-6507