Hi Nick,
Thank you for your response and for looking into this. My wife and I arrived at Belle Haven Pool at approximately 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 19, 2026, within the advertised operating hours. The pool was not closed to everyone. Swim lessons and team practices were still taking place, and the pool was full of people. The staff member at the front desk, whose name I do not know, told us there were not enough lifeguards on duty. I observed only one lifeguard at the time, although it is possible another was on break. As a result, my wife and I were unable to swim. If you need to identify the staff member we spoke with, Tim Sheeper, who manages the pool, may be able to assist.
This was the first time we had experienced this situation, and I do not want to suggest that it happens regularly. However, when the staff member explained the situation, he said something to the effect of, “I think I already told you this, but when we dont have enough staff, we turn people away.” That comment left us concerned that this is the procedure when staffing is insufficient, even when the pool is operating and residents arrive during advertised hours.
I want to emphasize that this was more than an inconvenience. My wife and I are making both a financial investment and a significant effort with our time to use and support our community pool. We purchased season passes and adjust our schedules to swim after work. We often arrive tired and delay our meals to take advantage of the limited hours available. Being turned away after making that effort was discouraging and left us feeling that our time and commitment as paying residents were not being taken seriously.
I am also concerned that the pool hours were set by the operator without adequately considering residents recommendations. Belle Haven Pool is a public facility serving our community, and residents who use and support it should have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their access. Many of us would prefer that the pool remain open until 8:00 p.m. rather than close at 7:00 p.m., particularly for those of us who work during the day and come directly to the pool in the evening.
I understand that the City is working within budget constraints, and I appreciate the efforts to keep the pool operating. However, with already limited hours, it is important that residents have a reasonable opportunity to use the facility when they arrive during the advertised schedule. I hope the City and MSS can address staffing and capacity concerns, reconsider the 7:00 p.m. closing time, and ensure residents recommendations are meaningfully considered in decisions about our pool.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, I would be happy to meet with you at the Belle Haven Community Campus. Thank you again for your time and attention.
Best regards,
Eduardo L. Hernandez
________________________________
From: Nicholas J. Szegda
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2026 5:33 PM
To: Eduardo Lopez Hernandez CCIN
Cc: Meredith Rohr; Arlene Navarro; Tim Sheeper ; Alberto Tinajero Jr.; Alberto Tinajero Sr.; Areli Hernandez; Consuelo Blanco
Subject: RE: Concerns About Community Pool Access, Reduced Hours, and Staffing Reliability
Hi Eduardo –
Thanks for taking the time to write to us about your concerns with the aquatics hours at the Belle Haven Community Campus. The change in hours at the Belle Haven Pool were made as part of the City’s efforts to balance its budget in June, and went into effect with the change in aquatics “season” in early September. MSS worked with the City to try to keep the pool open during off-season hours during the times when there was the most current usage: afternoon and early evening hours during the week for swim lessons and swim teams, weekend hours when families are most likely to use the pool for recreational swimming. Trying to spread the 30 available hours across seven days of desired use means that some times and some desired uses won’t be covered: early morning lap swimming is not available at Belle Haven, for example; although the City was able to support a popular aquafit class by moving it to an afternoon slot preferred by class participants.
I am a little unsure of what happened on October 19 when you arrived at the pool since the hours have not changed since September 8 and the operator did not report any outages or closures – could you share a little more about when you visited that day and whom you spoke with?
Please feel free to reach out to me directly so that we can resolve any service issues.
Kind regards -
[cid:CMP_Email_Logo_100dpi_05d92d5b-e8e3-498f-93a6-d0da509bd602111111111.png]
Nicholas J. Szegda
Library and Community Services Director
Menlo Park Library
800 Alma St.
tel 650-330-2506
menlopark.gov
From: Eduardo Lopez Hernandez
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 9:42 PM
To: _CCIN
Subject: Concerns About Community Pool Access, Reduced Hours, and Staffing Reliability
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)
