KEEPING IT CLEAN — The Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation met in a special session Thursday morning to discuss recent comments about concerns with cleanliness of the pool at the Millsop Community Center. Parks Executive Director Coty Shingle, at left, noted he has been meeting with his maintenance staff to discuss the concerns and they are being addressed. Also pictured, at right, is Park Board Chair Ed Bowman. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — The Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation convened in a special meeting Thursday morning after members received reports of concerns from citizens over the condition of the pool at the Millsop Community Center.

“I saw on Facebook a posting about the pool,” board Chair Edwin J. Bowman explained, noting discussions of a lack of cleanliness at the pool and issues with the ceiling. “Following that were about 100 different posts.”

Thursday’s meeting took place at 8 a.m., with it advertised through a posting on the Millsop Center’s Facebook page Wednesday afternoon.

Photos posted by residents included areas of mold and other signs of uncleanliness, as well as missing ceiling tiles in the pool area.

Parks Executive Director Coty Shingle admitted there have been difficulties with keeping the pool area up to snuff.

“You can’t run from the responsibility that is yours,” Shingle said. “There is no reason for that area to look like that.”

Shingle said he has been meeting with his maintenance staff, walking them through every area of the community center to reinforce the needs of the facility. He also has adjusted schedules with the intention of providing improved cleaning to the pool area at least once a week, explaining an acid will be used for the staining and it can only be done when no one is in the pool.

“The immediate problem of the cleanliness has been addressed,” Shingle said.

As for the ceiling issues, Shingle said those cannot be properly addressed until the third phase of a reinforcement project for the southern wall of the center is complete. Temporary fixes have been attempted, he said, but nothing has worked.

“We’ve tried six different materials on that ceiling,” he said, noting, though the ceiling is not falling in and there is no danger to residents. “We wouldn’t let you in there if it was unsafe.”

The board emphasized there is no discussion of closing the pool.