FAIRMONT — The fate of the summer season at the Fairmont Aquatic Park is treading water. It hasn’t gone under, and there won’t be movement in any direction until the City Council meeting June 8.

Under Gov. Tim Walz’s executive order concerning the COVID-19 restrictions on the state, the pool and other facilities that allow large gatherings of people must remain closed, but that stance could change quickly if the number of reported coronavirus cases in the state should stabilize or drop.

Betsy Steuber, Aquatic Park manager, told the City Council on Monday that she has contacted other pool managers in the area to see if they are closing or trying to salvage the swimming season.

“It’s a very unusual year,” she said. “Some of them have opted to close. Some have opted to wait for additional guidance from the governor. We’re all trying to pull our head around what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it.”

Pools in Madelia and New Ulm will remain closed. Both have construction or repairs planned. Winnebago, Blue Earth and Truman are awaiting further guidance from the governor.

The Aquatic Park usually operates from early June, after the end of the school year, until late August. Steuber said it usually requires about four weeks to get the pools filled and treated; the facility cleaned and sanitized; and the staff trained and re-certified. But with the state restrictions in place, she has had little contact with her staff, and preparations are at a standstill.

Initially, 65 employees had indicated they would return this season as lifeguards, management or concession stand staff, but with the possibility of not opening, some have found other jobs, Steuber said.

Councilor Randy Lubenow expressed a desire to see swimming lessons, even on an abbreviated schedule.

“Would you have enough employees for one or two pools?” he asked Steuber.

“We have four pools, but we have three separate bodies of water,” she said, adding that staff is accustomed to guarding only some of the pools when there is a shortage of employees. “We’ve done that before.”

“I think we should keep the option open to open, at least if not fully, partially,” Councilor Bruce Peters said. “I don’t think, at this point, we should decide not to open.”

Councilor Tom Hawkins was torn between emotions and practicality.

“I’m just wondering if it’s worth it this year, although I’m hearing from a lot of people who want it open,” he said. “I agree with the reason why it should be open.”

The issue of the city’s liability should an employee or patron contract the virus at the pool was raised by Councilor Wayne Hasek.

“I think there’s just way too much liability out there, and I think we should just close it for the year,” he said.

“Opening while the virus is still spreading could pose risks or potential liability,” said Robert Scott, attorney with Flaherty & Hood, the city’s interim civil counsel. “If it (opening) becomes possible, the key would be a safe operation plan that would be able to maintain safe distancing at the facility.”

Mayor Debbie Foster asked Steuber if the facility could be opened by July 1 if the council waited until June 8 to decide the matter, pending any directives from the governor.

“Yes, if the governor provides us with guidance of what his intentions may be and direction from the local health authorities as far as what the requirements are,” Steuber said.

She speculated that while she would need fewer lifeguards if only two of the pools are open, additional staff would be needed to sanitize and clean shared surfaces to follow expected stringent protocols.

Lubenow moved to delay the decision to open the Aquatic Park until June 8, and Peters seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Turning to another matter, the council voted 3-2 to set up interviews with two city attorney applicants for the last week in May. Peters and Hasek pushed to delay the interviews to allow the new city administrator, Cathy Reynolds, who is scheduled to start May 20, to have more time on the job, but the other three council members overruled the premise. The firm of Smith, Tollefson, Rahrick & Cass of Owatonna and the firm of Christian, Keogh, Moran & King of Le Center are vying for the job of Fairmont’s civil legal counsel.

In other business, the council:

o Approved 15 on-sale and Sunday liquor licenses and 13 off-sale licenses for 3.2 percent beer. A new on-sale liquor license was approved for the Fairmont Opera House, and a wine and strong beer license was approved for Jake’s Pizza.

o Held a public hearing and the first reading of an ordinance to change control of the Fairmont Fire Department to the city administrator instead of the City Council. No one spoke at the hearing. The fire chief has been working with city staff to align language in the ordinance with what is recommended by the League of Minnesota Cities.

o Approved the low bid of $4.1 million from Crow River Construction of New London for the Lake Avenue reconstruction project. The bid, one of four received, is about $500,000 higher than the engineer’s estimate. This is attributed to the contractor putting value or cost on phasing the work to allow access to all the businesses along the route. Work on the project is expected to begin after July 4.