Please replace that with " well over 3/4". I just studied the map.
Linda Itskovitz
litskovitz@gmail.com
On Fri, Aug 22, 2025, 10:27 PM Linda wrote:
> This fall ( and the last few weeks of August), Menlo Swim and Sport will
> be closing the Burgess pool on weekdays from 10a-3p, while keeping the
> Belle Haven pool open, despite Belle Haven being more inconvenient to 3/4
> of our community.
>
> These new hours are a direct result of the City Council mandates given to
> Menlo Swim and Sport.
>
> I learned about the new hours when my one hour swim time was cut short
> this morning, because I wasnt in the pool by 9am.
>
> I hope everyone sees that we are doing a huge disservice to our swimming
> community. Our residents pay huge taxes and we are considered a desirable
> and wealthy community, yet our city cant maintain daytime pool hours at
> the pool that is most convenient to the majority of our people.
>
> Its incredibly disheartening. I hope our city council can see why
> residents are frustrated.
>
>
> Linda Itskovitz
> litskovitz@gmail.com
>
> On Mon, Jun 2, 2025, 4:21 PM Linda Itskovitz wrote:
>
>> Dear City Council,
>>
>> After reading the recent *SF Gate* article
>> ,
>> I feel compelled to reach out once again with concerns about how our city
>> is handling its relationship with Tim Sheeper and the management of our
>> local pools.
>>
>> I don’t know Mr. Sheeper personally, but I swim at the Burgess pool one
>> to two times per week.
>>
>> Here is what I have come to understand:
>>
>> -
>>
>> Tim Sheeper and his team currently manage both the Burgess and Belle
>> Haven pools, in addition to operating pool programs in Palo Alto and a
>> triathlon organization.
>> -
>>
>> We are requiring Mr. Sheeper to keep the Belle Haven pool open for 63
>> hours per week (nine hours a day), even though there appears to be
>> insufficient demand to support that level of operation.
>> -
>>
>> The Belle Haven pool is located on one edge of town and is less
>> accessible for a large portion of residents, whereas the centrally located
>> Burgess pool is equally accessible to both Sharon Heights and Belle Haven
>> residents. In fact, the Burgess pool is12 minutes by car from both Sharon
>> Heights and Belle Haven, and even quicker by bike from Belle Haven.
>> -
>>
>> In my experience—and based on conversations with fellow
>> swimmers—Burgess is a well-run and much-used facility.
>>
>> Here’s what I don’t understand:
>>
>> -
>>
>> Why is the City asking Mr. Sheeper to share financials from outside
>> Menlo Park? If there’s concern we’re subsidizing other programs,
>> transparency may be reasonable—but if not, the request seems unnecessary
>> for a successful private contractor.
>> -
>>
>> Why are we imposing hours at Belle Haven that exceed actual demand,
>> from a practical standpoint? Expecting a business to provide far more
>> supply than demand can support is neither sustainable nor wise, even if we
>> want to do right by our residents.
>> -
>>
>> Putting the hours debate aside, has Mr. Sheeper’s management of our
>> pools not met expectations? Are there other concerns behind this standoff?
>> If not, it’s unclear why the full City Council isn’t uniting behind the
>> solutions proposed by some of its own members.
>>
>> Rather than requiring full-day hours at the Belle Haven pool regardless
>> of usage, could we align the schedule with peak demand and encourage
>> off-peak users to use the centrally located Burgess pool? I fully support
>> access for the Belle Haven community, but have we asked what matters most
>> to them—especially given the costs involved?
>>
>> Finally, I’m very concerned that this standoff with Mr. Sheeper could
>> jeopardize the pool operations at Burgess—either through temporary closure
>> or increased costs if the City takes over operations. That would not serve
>> the community well.
>>
>> If there are additional facts not reflected in the article, I would
>> welcome the opportunity to understand them. However, based on the
>> information available, I find it difficult to understand why the City
>> Council as a whole and Tim Sheeper cannot come to an agreement that both
>> serves our community and preserves Mr. Sheeper’s viability.
>>
>> I appreciate your attention to these issues and your ongoing commitment
>> to our community.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Linda Itskovitz
>>
>> Sharon Heights
>>
>
