Belleview commission sets ceiling for millage rate higher than current taxes

Published: Thursday, July 17, 2014 at 2:47 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, July 17, 2014 at 2:47 p.m.

BELLEVIEW During this week's City Commission meeting, the panel entertained a citizen-led presentation on building the proposed splash park for less money and set the millage rate ceiling higher than last year's rate.

While the proposed splash park was not on the agenda, Gerri Gerthe of Kids Helping Kids approached the commission during a portion of the meeting open for public comment.

Gerthe, through Kids Helping Kids, has so far donated $3,833 to the city's splash park fund. Initial city estimates put the park cost at about $300,000. So far, the city has secured slightly more than $91,000.

But Gerthe questioned why the estimate is so high, and brought with her Jeff Hagwood, chief executive officer of SplashinPads, a Tampa-based company that manufactures, delivers and installs the pads, and provides additional services if there is a problem.

Hagwood showed the commission plans to make the pad happen for $90,000.

Hagwood said by phone Thursday that the proposal features a 45 foot by 45 foot pad with 30 geysers coming up from the surface and an additional 15 features including a large lady bug, crocodile, spray cans, dump buckets and a spray bench.

The original design used a recirculation system for the water but, looking further into the proposed space, Hagwood suggested using existing infrastructure instead.

Commissioner Robert Bo Smith, who has experience in construction, agreed with Hagwood that the $300,000 estimate seemed high.

I'm sure this can be made to happen for a lot less than was thrown out, Smith said.

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Belleview commission sets ceiling for millage rate higher than current taxes