Council Reviews $108,000 Expenditure for Pool Transition

 The Piedmont City Council on Monday will consider an appropriation of $108,000 from the general fund reserve to finance the transition to a Piedmont Community Pool as of July 1.

That’s when the city takes over management of the pool from the Piedmont Swim Club.

The public portion of the Piedmont City Council is due to begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 120 Vista Ave., following a 7 p.m. closed session to discuss potential litigation.

The council will review a report on the pool transition from Recreation Director Mark Delventhal, which includes a March 9 contract with aquatics consultant Jeff Eorio. Recently retired parks and community services director in San Ramon, Eorio also has aquatics management experience in Walnut Creek and Santa Rosa.

 “Our goal is first to make this transition process as seamless, thorough, transparent, well organized and effective as possible, and second to establish a management structure of the Piedmont Community Pool that is professional, reliable, current, sensitive,” wrote Delventhal in the report.

 City staff is working out a site management plan, making plans for a busy learn-to-swim program in the summer and folding in practice time for the Piedmont High water polo team, whose season concludes in November.

 Staff and Eorio have estimated expenses to the city through June 30 at $108,000:

• $13,000 for printing, promotions and office materials;
• $20,000 for consultant services;
• $25,000 for capital outlay, including the possibility of concrete repairs, furniture and office improvements; and
• $50,000 for other expenses, including possible payments to Piedmont Swim Club for shared management expenses, and for purchase of equipment belonging to the club. Negotiations are in progress to buy the equipment. “If agreement cannot be reached, city will purchase new equipment as required as determined by the consultant,” according to Delventhal’s report.

The Recreation Commission will conduct a series of hearings in the next several months for interested parties to talk about the operations of the Piedmont Community Pool.

The City Council will ultimately approve the community pool’s fee schedule including gate fees, family passes and group rates. There is urgency for some fees as the city prepares for summer aquatics and prints brochures as soon as possible to maximize signups.

Because of the urgency, and based on council direction given to staff on Feb. 7, Recreation Director Mark Delventhal said he executed the agreement with Eorio.

 That contract signed by Eorio and Delventhal, tentatively covers tasks by the consultant through Nov. 1, 2011, “unless extended by request of the city.” The contract posits an hourly rate of $115/hour for Eorio, plus expenses for printing and mileage. The contract mentions a subconsultant, Joseph Serochi of Serochi Aquatic Management Services, a retired aquatics supervisor with the Hayward Park and Recreation District, to assist in operations and safety planning. Serochi’s charge of $150/hour would be an additional fee passed through Eorio’s invoices.

The contract outlines a scope of services of 18 specific items, including “Screen existing PSC staff and provide recommendations to city; Identification and placement of interim aquatics supervisor to assist the Piedmont Recreation Department transition to a full municipal operation;” and “Preparation of existing facilities condition report and recommendations.”