Vienna Town Council members have concerns about uncertain costs for the proposed aquatics and fitness facility and other pressing capital projects as a key vote looms later this month.
The town council is scheduled to consider awarding a contract on Feb. 23 to a firm that will oversee the planning and design of the aquatics facility, Vienna Parks and Recreation Director Leslie Herman said in a presentation on Monday (Feb. 2).
According to Herman, the town has solicited project management bids and is currently evaluating the proposals.
“If a contract satisfactory and advantageous to the town can be negotiated at a price considered fair and reasonable, then the town council shall be advised and council will make an offer,” said Herman.
If a contract is approved, the next step would be selecting a design firm. Herman said the town would solicit proposals, and a contract could be awarded around June.
Once the facility design is 100% complete, it would go to the town council for approval, Herman said. The council would also have to approve a bid for construction proposals.
Town staff shared the timeline update after the council authorized an agreement in November 2025 to accept a $3 million advance from Navy Federal Credit Union to hire a project manager and architectural firm.
If the project moves forward, the facility would be developed on the vacant Annex site at 301 Center Street South that the town purchased from Vienna Faith Baptist Church. A September 2024 report estimated the project cost in 2029 could be between $20 million and $26 million, but the cost is subject to change in the design and bidding processes.
Some councilmembers shared hesitations about advancing the new facility without considering other capital funding needs.
Councilmember Howard Springsteen called for a delay of the aquatics center process for at least several months. He noted the town has other funding priorities, like accelerating replacement of pipes in the 60-year-old water and sewer system.
“I’m really concerned about the water and sewer, and I think this is a critical project, and we probably need to double our effort, because if not it’s going to come back and bite us big time,” Springsteen said.
According to Department of Public Works Director Brad Baer, the town is replacing about a mile of water main pipes each year and moving at a similar rate for sewer lines.
Town Manager Mercury Payton said town staff are evaluating how to increase the 1% allocated in the capital budget for annual sewer replacements to 2.2%, as sought by Springsteen. The replacement efforts are funded through the town’s water and sewer rates, which are set during the annual budget process.
Councilmember Chuck Anderson agreed with pausing consideration of the aquatics facility, urging councilmembers to examine accelerated water and sewer pipe replacement and other capital budget needs.
“I really believe that we need to do this capital budget review, which I put as a priority,” Anderson said. “I don’t mean to drag this thing out, but I think we as a council have a fiduciary responsibility to look at … all the capital needs over the next 10 years.”
Councilmember Dann Nash — who was elected to the town council in November, after the advance funding agreement was approved — agreed the water and sewer review should be a higher priority.
“I think we need to investigate [water and sewer replacements] a lot further and get our head around what that financial impact is before we commit to these larger-scale projects and make sure we are on solid footing,” Nash said. “That’s not necessarily a pro or con for the pool. It’s just make sure we have our fiscal house in order before we proceed.”
On the aquatics facility, Anderson suggested the town council hold a public hearing “sooner rather than later” to determine whether the community still wants it.
“If they do, I’m fine with it if the numbers work out,” Anderson said. “But I would urge this council to consider public engagement as more than how many lanes it should have.”
Mayor Linda Colbert said there has been community outreach through the meals tax public hearing and other means, including during a months-long study to solicit public input on what the town should do with the now-vacant Annex property.
“We had a lot of people come and speak. We’ve had a lot of emails. We did surveys. We did community outreach again and again and again,” Colbert said. “We are always open to emails. We are always open to talking to people.”
The mayor said some factors, like how many lanes the pool should have, won’t be known until the project reaches the design process.
“Trying to make some of these decisions now, that’s why I think we have to move forward to see what it is that we’re even evaluating,” Colbert said.
Councilmember Jessica Ramakis said the council needs to be clear on when it will make decisions and still have the option to stop the project.
“I think we should be very clear about where the decision points are, what numbers to prioritize digging into first and how that can inform decision point for us as council so that we continue to be closely aligned with town staff, and if this goes forward with a project manager and a design firm,” she said, “so that if it reaches a point where we feel that it can continue to be explored, that we can do that, and if it doesn’t, then we have the ability to stop forward movement because it doesn’t look like something that’s feasible.”
Payton recommended considering the pool and fitness center and the water and sewer replacements separately. While water infrastructure projects receive funding from water and sewer rates, capital projects like new facilities or renovations are supported by meals tax revenue and grants.
In 2025, the town council approved a 1% increase to Vienna’s meals tax rate that went into effect at the start of 2026. The council initially considered an increase to fund the aquatics center that would expire after 10 years, but members ultimately decided against a sunset date and instead directed the extra revenue to the town’s capital projects fund.
In addition to the aquatics facility and water and sewer projects, the town’s proposed capital improvement program for 2026 includes pedestrian improvements, town hall renovations, athletic field refurbishments and more.
