BY JAMES WERNICKE
East Park Pool Board Member

Councilors,

Thank you for adding the aquatic center to tonight’s discussion. Here are some questions I would like you to ask, as the presentation alone doesn’t address them.

Will the County establish an ongoing partnership with East Park?
East Park provides valuable redundant aquatic capacity because it is a separate facility. An ongoing staffing, programming, capital, or standby-use agreement may be much cheaper and more effective than improvising replacement capacity every time the Aquatic Center closes.ark

Why wasn’t pump replacement included in the original project?
The County knew the pumps were nearly 40 years old, had budgeted for replacement, and had a May 2025 engineering assessment identifying their limitations. Why was resurfacing approved separately instead of coordinating the work from the beginning? The County ultimately added about $1.18 million in mechanical work in July 2026.

What changed between May 2025 and July 2026?
Council should ask for a timeline showing when replacement became necessary, when design began, when lead times became known, and why the work was added during the closure. Was there new information, or was this mainly a planning and procurement issue?

Why was this pump configuration chosen?
If the design uses one full-capacity pump with one standby, what alternatives were considered? Did engineers evaluate multiple commercially available pumps operating in parallel for increased redundancy?

What happens when the primary pump fails?
Can the standby take over immediately, and can either pump independently meet required turnover rates? What other components—controls, VFDs, electrical systems, valves, filters, or piping—remain single points of failure?

How dependent is the new system on custom equipment?
Which components are proprietary or made-to-order, what are their replacement lead times, and will critical spares be stocked locally? How does this design avoid repeating today’s problem of obsolete equipment and unavailable parts?

What reliability standard is the County designing for?
Has the County established a goal such as ensuring that no single mechanical failure closes the Olympic pool? If not, why not?

Why did discussions with East Park Pool stop?
Council should ask for a chronology of County contacts with East Park and why discussions ended. If an email went unanswered, why did nobody call, contact another board member, or otherwise follow up when East Park had already expressed interest in partnering?

Why was there no follow-up after February 2026?
When East Park explicitly reiterated its interest in partnering during the Aquatic Center closure, what happened to that request? Was it evaluated, forwarded to management, or rejected? If a decision was made, who made it and why?

How did the County compare Piñon Pool with East Park?
Council should request an apples-to-apples comparison of the costs of repairing, staffing, heating, maintaining, and operating Piñon Pool versus a seasonal partnership with East Park, including capital improvements and operating expenses.

Why wasn’t a contingency partnership arranged beforehand?
Since the Aquatic Center was expected to close for months, why wasn’t a backup agreement with East Park or another facility established in case construction slipped?

What lessons have been learned?
Staff should identify specific changes such as earlier condition assessments, lifecycle replacement planning, redundancy requirements, coordinated project scoping, contingency planning, and a formal process for engaging community partners.

When is the next major closure likely?
Council should request a long-term capital forecast showing when major systems—HVAC, boilers, filters, electrical equipment, roofs, pools, and structural components—will need replacement and whether those projects are already being planned.

What is the continuity plan for swimming?
When the Aquatic Center closes, where are high-school teams, club swimmers, lap swimmers, therapy users, lessons, and lifeguard training supposed to go? The County should have a defined plan for maintaining aquatic access.