From June 7 through June 15, the outdoor pool at the Denison Aquatic Center was closed due to the failure of a pump and motor that circulates the water. That problem has been fixed temporarily to keep the pool open for the rest of the summer, but The Andersons Denison Ethanol jumped in to provide a new motor and pump to operate the outdoor pool for years to come. The new equipment will be installed once the outdoor pool closes for the season. Pictured with the new pump and motor are, from left, Brian Kempfert, director of Denison Parks & Rec; Joe Mefferd, purchasing and inventory at The Andersons Denison Ethanol; Dustin Logan, manager of plant operations at The Andersons Denison Ethanol; Eric Martens, director of public works for the City of Denison; Denison Mayor Pam Soseman; and Mike Vogt, street commissioner for the City of Denison. *Photo by Gordon Wolf*

For kids, summertime means days of riding bikes, playing baseball and softball and going to the pool to swim and cool off.

But a disappointing turn of events began on June 7 at the Denison Aquatic Center. The outdoor water attractions closed due to an equipment failure. The pump that circulated the water developed a crack and the motor that operated the pump failed.

The pump and motor control the main circulation for all of the outdoor water; the pool, kiddie pool, and the slides all use the same water, explained Brian Kempfert, director of Denison Parks and Rec.

“Without it, we’re dead in the water,” he added, with the pun intended.

The crack in the pump was repaired by Joe’s Welding and a temporary motor was installed, so on June 16, kids could resume their fun of splashing and diving in the water and cooling off from the hot summer sun.

Kempfert explained that he can’t gauge the age of the pump and the motor that failed because it was in place when he started as the aquatic center director 10 years ago. He offered, however, that pumps and motors like the one at the pool work hard through the summer and might last 10-12 years before they need to be replaced.

**A closeup view of the new pump and motor. The pump is on the left side of the photo.** *Photo by Gordon Wolf*

He continued that what happened is that a plug from a different pump let loose overnight. When that happened all the water went straight to the pump that cracked, and the motor was drowned in water.

The Andersons Denison Ethanol jumped to the assistance of the community to provide a more permanent fix. The Andersons procured and paid for a new pump and motor to assure that kids will have uninterrupted fun at the outdoor pool in years to come.

Jeff Sis, process operator at The Andersons Denison Ethanol and an advocate of Denison Parks & Rec, was the catalyst for the company’s donation, said Dustin Logan, manager of plant operations.

Logan said Ricardo Campos, plant manager, saw that providing a pump and motor was a great opportunity for The Andersons Denison Ethanol.

“We got a call that the pool was down, and probably nobody in Crawford County handles more pumps and motors than we do,” Logan explained.

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Joe Mefferd, with purchasing and inventory at the ethanol plant, sourced the pump and the motor.

Through its supplier, The Andersons Denison Ethanol was able to have a pump and motor delivered after only three to four weeks of lead time, instead of a more typical 11-week wait.

**The Andersons Denison Ethanol sign joins signs from other businesses that support the swim team at the Denison Aquatic Center.** *Photo by Gordon Wolf*

Mefferd said the cost of the new equipment is just a little under $14,000.

Logan is also a member of the Denison City Council, which gave him additional insight into the gravity of the closure of the outdoor pool.

“I don’t know how many calls and texts I got,” he said. “‘What are my kids going to do? Are swimming lessons going to be cancelled?’

“The outdoor pool is really a staple for the kids in the community and surrounding communities,” Logan added.

He said the cost of the new pump and motor would have been a budgetary issue for the city.

“Finding the money out of the city’s budget for what this pump and motor could have cost – it would have gotten done but it would have been challenging. We didn’t plan for it,” Logan explained.

The repaired pump and temporary motor will remain in place until the outdoor pool closes at the end of the swimming season. Then the old equipment will be swapped out for the new pump and motor.

Logan said that when the new pump and motor are installed, city staff will look at other key parts and pieces of equipment that will need to be replaced in the future and get replacement parts on the shelf.

Jeff Sis, process operator at The Andersons Denison Ethanol and an advocate of Denison Parks & Rec, was the catalyst for the company’s donation, said Dustin Logan, manager of plant operations.

Logan said Ricardo Campos, plant manager, saw that providing a pump and motor was a great opportunity for The Andersons Denison Ethanol.

“We got a call that the pool was down, and probably nobody in Crawford County handles more pumps and motors than we do,” Logan explained.

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