March 3, 2010

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Lindbergh Pool Supporters Dominant Group
RSD's Lindbergh Public Meeting
Focused on Addressing $6.1 Million Gap

One of several "standing room only" Discussion Tables focused on the potential closure of the Lindbergh Pool.

In the second of three Community Budget Sessions held by the Renton School District, the Lindbergh High School session attracted a large vocal audience specifically interested in the future of the Lindbergh Pool.

In a large group setting, the crowd of about 250 attendees was first provided an overview of School District budget challenges at the Feb. 25 meeting. Following this presentation, all were invited to participate in
three "Tabletop Discussion" sessions, each lasting 30 minutes. District
staff stationed at each table recorded feedback provided by the community.

Budget Challenges
With the Governor's new budget recommendations, a proposed funding reduction of over $4.2 million and added to increases in School District expenditures, the 2010-11 Renton School District budget shortfall totals
a projected $6.1 million. This represents a reduction of over 4.3 percent in an already tight budget.

Budget Schedule
The School District's February's Budget activities were focused on gathering Community Feedback, so the focus of this second community meeting was to inform the community of the budget issues and seek feedback on possible solutions. The community was also encouraged to complete an online survey, which ended last Sunday, Feb. 28.

This month, District officials will analyze the input gathered and begin to develop an initial budget and report on the results of the meetings and community survey, according to Assistant Superintendent of Business Rich Moore.

A presentation of this Initial Budget Plan is scheduled to be presented to the community in April. In July, a Draft Budget will be submitted to the RSD Board, and in August, the Final Budget is scheduled to be adopted.

The large, standing crowd in the background surrounded the "Pool" Discussion Table with no place
to go until District staff moved the crowd to their own area.

Lindbergh Pool Budget Issue
An even gloomier picture was added to the School District's deficit number with the addition of the Lindbergh Pool issue. A secondary budget challenge independent of the $6.1 million budget gap, the Lindbergh Pool's projected expenditures exceed revenues by $175,000, according to Renton School District's Randy Matheson.

Since taking over ownership of the pool in February 2008, the District has been responsible for filling the financial gap between revenues and expenditures. Ownership of the pool was transferred from King County when the Cascade area annexed into the City of Renton.

"At that time, the City voluntarily provided funding to cover the gap between revenue and expenditures," said Matheson. However, the Pool belongs to the School District, not the City.

With the City's current budget deficits, that funding has gone away.

One of the options being considered is subcontracting out the Pool to a company that will maintain it. The District has issued a Request for Proposals to see if this is a viable option.

They are also looking for ways to reduce operating costs and are considering fee increases. Other organizations are also being contacted to explore other additional funding sources, according to Matheson.

Additionally, Matheson noted that the Pool was in need of significant upgrades to the facility, with improvements totaling an estimated cost of an additional $5 million.

Lindbergh Pool Group Overwhelms Meeting
When it was time for the break-out sessions, vocal Lindbergh Pool-focused members expressed a concern that the table configuration was inadequate for the large group, where each person wanted to be heard.

The initial setup allowed for just 8-10 people to sit at the Pool table for each of the three 30-minute sessions. With well over 100 people attending the community meeting for this single issue, District officials quickly moved the crowd to the other side of the room for a separate discussion.

Passionate discussions at each table included a wide range of ages with varied interests in the pool.

Among the "special interest groups" present at the meeting were local high school swim teams from both Kentridge and Lindbergh High Schools.

A Kentridge team member expressed his interest in having the close access of the Lindbergh Pool. He also discussed his concern for the inconvenience of moving to another location such as the Tahoma or Kent Meridian Pool and whether those pools could accommodate an additional team's schedule.

A Lindbergh High School student expressed irritation that there would be costs to closing the pool, which could be better used to keep it open.

"It's like a toilet, closing the doors and letting things rot. The goal should be focused on options to keeping it open, not closed," said the student.

A concerned parent commented on the community benefits of a pool. "The pool promotes public health, public safety, and provides a recreational resource for more than just kids," said the parent. "The pool's existence has a far more diverse interest than just kids."

At another table, a parent sought answers for his lengthy, multi-page list of questions. Questions included a concern about whether the Hazen Pool will be considered in the same manner as Lindbergh, whether corporate sponsorships have been investigated, and a concern that the apparent limited time allowed for this topic might lead to a quick default decision to close the pool.

A passionate Leona Johnson, 76, attended the Lindbergh meeting to express her need to keep the pool open. Johnson's utilizes the services provided by the Lindbergh Pool as therapy for her arthritis, a critical element in maintaining her health. Twice a week, Johnson drives from her home in downtown Renton for deep water aerobics classes.

"The Lindbergh Pool is a recreational resource for the elderly that isn't offered at the Hazen Pool. I know a patron that's 90 who also uses it," said Johnson.

Johnson also feels the City should more aggressively market the resource for public use. She didn't know the pool existed, and it took quite some time to find the location when she heard aerobics classes were offered.

Better signage would be a start to improved marketing, according to Johnson.

"It seems silly that the City (Renton) covered the fees; they need to raise the rates," said Johnson.

Prior to attending classes at Lindbergh, Johnson drove all the way to Issaquah for the same class. There, she paid a higher fee and felt this could also be implemented at the Lindbergh Pool.

"I pay $4 for a session at Lindbergh, and I paid $6 at the Issaquah Pool," said Johnson. Follow-Up Meetings Already, the District has scheduled follow-up budget meetings which will feature the preliminary budget along with an overview of cost-saving recommendations.

Follow-Up Presentation Meetings Tuesday, April 20, 7 p.m. Hazen High School Library 1101 Hoquiam Ave NE Wednesday, April 21, 7 p.m. Renton High School Commons 400 S 2nd St., Renton Thursday, April 22, 7 p.m. Lindbergh High School Cafeteria 16426 128th Ave SE