After hearing three people from the audience express concerns and two express support, Bismarck Parks and Recreation Board voted 3-0 Tuesday evening to OK establishment of a special district needed to fund the $483,000 in site improvements - water, sewer and parking lot - for the aquatic-wellness center project proposed to be built on the Bismarck State College campus.

But it won't be the last vote on this particular special district.

A meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Parks and Recreation District's office, 400 E. Front Ave., to consider final approval of the special district.

Before the vote, Audrey Behrendt of Bismarck told the board she supported the indoor-pool idea, but thought there were enough wellness centers scattered throughout the city. She said cutting down the project might ensure the board could stay within budget. The project as proposed will cost about $8.1 million. Mary Ann Rausch, of Bismarck, also said she supported the pool portion, but not the rest. Rausch told the board she recently moved back to North Dakota from Colorado and her property taxes were three times higher here than in Colorado.

"I find that a little hard to swallow," she said, and was concerned about the possible future impacts this project might have on taxpayers.

Shawn Weekes, 33, Bismarck, said he thought the project could be good for the community, "But where do we draw the line?"

He asked if soccer supporters wanted indoor soccer, would that be done, too? He also suggested that pools should instead be built at the high schools, so that students in south Bismarck would have easier access, instead of everything being built in north Bismarck.

Supporters of the project included a woman who described herself as a health-conscious mom who wanted area athletes to have better facilities. And she said she wanted Bismarck to have a facility similar to Dickinson's "amazing" fitness center.

Another supporter, a representative of a nonprofit organization, Bismarck Aquatics and Fitness, told the board that work already was being done to bring in regional and national swim meets and events to the new facility.He said these events could bring into the city a total of between $1.5 and $2 million, which he based on what other cities have generated from such events.

Paul Quist, the sole board member in March to vote against the project, voted for the special improvement district Tuesday.

Quist had voted against the project in March after a motion he made to place the project on the June municipal ballot died for lack of a second.

But he said Tuesday he was voting for the special district because the project was now going to go forward, and he wants the city "to have a successful project and do it correctly."

Mark Zimmerman, board president, and Michael Gilbertson, a board member, also voted for the special district. The two other board members, Jennifer Deforest and John Sagsveen, were absent.

Steve Neu, director of the parks district, said Tuesday the next step in the pool project, phase 2, will happen next year when a special district needs to be established to fund the estimated $775,000 needed for curb, gutter and asphalt work for the pool project.

Actual building of the aquatics center would be in the hands of Streamline Foundation. In March, the board voted 4-1 to OK an agreement with Streamline Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization, who wants to build the center for an estimated $8.1 million and lease it back to the park district over the next 20 years.

Neu said the district plans to do this without a tax increase by selling bonds, the money paid off with money generated through growth in property values. Park district financial director Augie Ternes has determined an annual growth of 3.5 percent will provide the money for this and other projects.

(Reach reporter Virginia Grantier at 250-8254 or at virginia.grantier@bismarcktribune.com)