Dear Mayor Nash and Council Members,
I am writing to express my concern about the recent reduction in our community pool hours, the unpredictability of access due to staffing shortages, and the apparent disconnect between the citys goal of encouraging pool usage and residents actual experiences.
Our pool hours were recently reduced because of low usage. However, when my wife and I are making an effort to start using the pool more regularly, we are now encountering situations where we arrive and are turned away because of insufficient staffing. This happened on October 19, 2026.
When we arrived, the staff member at the entrance indicated that he had already explained this situation to us several times. In reality, this was the first time we had encountered it. This experience was frustrating, particularly because we are trying to become accustomed to using the pool and incorporating it into our routine.
This raises a fundamental question: How are residents supposed to develop the habit of using the pool, feel welcome, and contribute to increased usage when access is unpredictable and we can be turned away after making the effort to visit?
In previous meetings, Tim Sheeper, the citys pool contractor, has expressed a desire for us to use the pool. However, we have not felt that our preferred hours have been meaningfully considered, despite our efforts to communicate what would make the pool accessible and usable for us.
There is a clear disconnect between encouraging residents to use the facility and providing the conditions necessary for them to do so. Reducing operating hours because of low usage while also providing unpredictable access due to staffing shortages risks creating a cycle in which residents have fewer opportunities to use the pool, usage remains low, and further reductions become more likely.
We understand that staffing and operational challenges can arise. However, residents should be able to rely on reasonable consistency in the pools advertised operating hours and should receive clear communication when access is affected. Equally important, community feedback about suitable operating hours should be taken seriously if the goal is to increase participation.
I respectfully ask the Mayor and Council to address the following questions:
* Operating hours: How were the recent pool-hour reductions determined, and to what extent were residents scheduling needs considered?
* Staffing and reliability: What measures are in place to ensure that the pool can remain accessible during its advertised hours, and how will staffing-related closures be communicated?
* Contractor accountability: How does the city ensure that Tim Sheeper, as the pool contractor, considers resident feedback and supports the citys goals for community access and participation?
* A path toward increased usage: Would the city consider reviewing the current operating schedule with affected residents and establishing hours that better accommodate their needs, so that residents have a fair opportunity to use the pool consistently?
We want to use our community pool. We are making an effort to establish that routine, but it is difficult to feel welcome or make a meaningful commitment when the available hours do not work for us and access remains unpredictable.
I do not believe low usage should be considered in isolation from the operating schedule, staffing reliability, and the experiences of the residents the pool is intended to serve. If the city wants to encourage greater usage, I believe it is important to examine whether the current arrangements are helping or hindering that goal.
I would appreciate a response explaining how these concerns will be addressed and whether the city is willing to review the pools operating arrangements with residents.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Eduardo L. Hernandez
(District 1 Resident)
