During the August 6th Pocahontas County Commission meeting, Alyssa Vickers, Director of the County Parks and Recreation told the commissioners that thanks to a donation, they will be able to have the funding to keep the swimming pool at the Observatory open through the month of August. At the July 21st commission meeting, Vickers had said that budget shortages have caused deficits in running that swimming pool. When questioned about whether Parks and Recreation will be able to operate the pool next summer, Vickers said between now and then, she will try to fund it by applying for grants or possibly forming a “Friends of Parks and Recreation” group to raise money for it. The commissioners held a discussion about possibly asking the Health Department to move their office out of the courthouse. The commissioners also approved for Parks and Recreation to purchase a zero-turn 42 inch Gravely lawn tractor for $5,000 and a 21-inch push mower for $500 from Buckeye Hardware.