Mayor Kevin Copling named two appointments to the Cuba Parks and Recreation Board. In a 4-2 vote, Michael Dowdy-Benivamonde and Maurie Smith, both with a term expiration date of May 1, 2028, were approved to be added to the board. 

During citizen participation, Deb Schwalenberg asked the mayor and board of aldermen to pay for past and future medical expenses for medical damages caused at the city pool.

She said that on June 7, 2024, she was swimming in the city pool when she noticed an employee pouring something in the water. When she asked about it, the employee said that he was pouring algaecide into the water and that it was safe to keep swimming.

After she was done swimming, Schwalenberg researched the algaecide added.

“When I finished for the day, I found out what it was because my eyes were more dirty than normal,” Schwalenberg said. “It said that this chemical can cause irreversible eye damage. So while I was at home, I irrigated my eyes copiously.”

She tried contacting the city in October 2024 and didn’t receive a response, so she contacted them again in August 2025. She was informed that they hadn’t received information that Schwalenberg claims they never asked for. She sent the necessary information and has not heard a reply since.

“I can give you information on the chemical itself. The Back Up 2 is an algaecide; it’s 50 percent benzalkonium chloride. Benzalkonium chloride is a biocide: it’s a disinfectant,” Schwalenberg said. “It used to be a preservative in eye drops in very, very small doses. They quit doing that because it was causing damage.”

She said that the concentration used was too strong for the size of the pool, and that nobody is supposed to be in the pool for 15 minutes after the algaecide is added.

“I finally found a doctor who is familiar with the damage caused by benzalkonium chloride....We did a tear test,” Schwalenberg said. “My eyes produce almost no tears, and the tears that are produced are poor quality.”

No action was taken. Copling said he would like to look into and research the incident before a decision is made.

Alderman Ward 2 Pitts Lesesne gave the grounds and property management public buildings update. They can’t budget anything for now until they see the budget for this fiscal year, which was said to happen at the next budget meeting.

Aldermen voted 6-0 to pass Bill No. 2201, which became Resolution 01-06, allowing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Brenyn Cyr, the new police sponsorship recipient, for the policy academy tuition program.

In other business, it was announced that since the Cuba Municipal Elections are coming up on April 7, a Meet the Candidates night will be held at 7 p.m. on March 10 at the Recklein Auditorium.

Citizens will be able to directly ask candidates questions, and there is no time limit for them to answer. The whole event will be videoed and placed on various social media sites for those who can’t make it.

The Show Me Classic Goat Show was approved with a 6-0 vote on June 5-7 to use Hood Park.