Report-Fhs Pool Committee Final 06.18.13
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Pool Advisory Committee Members Wade Atkins, Board Member at Large, Frederick Area Swim Team (FAST) Perry Baker, FCPS Athletics and Extracurricular Activities Supervisor Raymond Barnes, FCPS Executive Director, Facilities Services Amanda Baugher, FCPS Senior Accountant, Fiscal Services Ann Bonitatibus, Committee Facilitator, FCPS Chief Operating Officer Christine Colville, YMCA of Frederick County, Chief Executive Officer Paul Dial, Frederick County Government Division Director, Parks and Recreation Elizabeth Duffy, FCPS Assistant Principal, Walkersville High School Rob Fox, Fox Swim Club, Head Coach Mark Kavanaugh, Frederick County Advocates for Swim Teams (FCAST) President Roelkey Myers, City of Frederick Deputy Director, Parks and Recreation Ed Remus, Frederick High School Athletic Director Melanie Sasse, Montgomery County Recreation, Aquatics Program Supervisor 1 Frederick County Public Schools Pool Advisory Committee Spring 2013 BACKGROUND Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) Facilities Services staff conducted a feasibility study in the fall of 2012 for a Frederick High School (FHS) renovation project. Following extensive research and community engagement in the feasibility process, FCPS recommended a concept adopted by the Board of Education (BOE) of Frederick County in December 2012. Among the options in the approved concept was a replacement pool for FHS. The current pool could undergo extensive renovation, or a new pool could be attached to the replacement building or constructed as a separate building still on the FHS site. To that end, the superintendent established a local advisory committee comprised of FCPS central office personnel, FHS and Walkersville High School (WHS) personnel, county and city officials with experience in pool recreation programs, and community leaders with experience in recreational and competition swimming programs. Specifically, the committee was asked to address the following areas and questions: • Examine the current funding sources available for a private/public partnership that can construct a high school pool to primarily serve FHS and FCPS athletic and instructional programs. o Identify the current projected cost of a pool building at FHS. o Are there state funds available for a pool building at FHS? If so, what are they and what is the range of budgetary support? o What local funds are available for a pool facility at the FHS site? o What private funds may be available for a pool facility at the FHS site? What is the range of support? o Are there grant opportunities available for a pool facility at the FHS site? If so, what are they and what is the range of budgetary support? • Provide a framework for use of the pool facility. o Which stakeholders (users) within FCPS and community would access the pool facility? o Identify and prioritize the functions the pool facility would serve if built on the FHS site. (e.g. instructional, athletic, recreational, etc.) o What data exist demonstrating current use of all county pools (school system and community)? Does the data justify the need for a FHS pool facility? o Outline the logistical considerations for the use of the pool facility, including child safety and overall security. o Who would manage the logistics? Is this the same individual(s)/organization(s) who has final authority about the use of the pool facility? 2 Frederick County Public Schools Pool Advisory Committee Spring 2013 • Determine the viability of a pool facility/program sustainability. What additional or ongoing costs will be incurred? o What will the costs be for personnel? o What will the costs be for energy use? o What is the possibility that revenues can be generated? What would be the projected net income? Who would be responsible for managing the finances? For what will the revenues be used? o Who will be responsible for preventive maintenance and facility repair? The above questions reflect the evolving conversations as guided by the superintendent’s charge. A copy of the original charge letter from the superintendent is provided in Appendix A. CORE VALUES At the first meeting of the advisory committee, core values were established to guide the committee’s work. These values were important because they grounded shared beliefs and created collegial operating norms. The first value adopted by the committee was that swimming was embraced as an important educational, athletic, recreational, and health/wellness component in the broader Frederick community. All of these areas were accepted as complementary in nature, which eliminated potential conflict over the “ownership” of swimming programs in Frederick County. All organizations represented on the advisory group had equal share. The second value was to adopt an agnostic stance to the idea of public versus private operations of pool facilities. This meant that no one on the committee would lead with advocacy toward one operational model. By adopting this stance, committee members were open to public, private, and partnership solutions following evaluation of key findings. The third core value agreed to by the committee was to avoid any reference to assigning responsibility to any particular organization for failing to meet the needs of the swimming community. The future of swim programs, athletic or recreational, does not rest solely with one organization or particular group of individuals. Pool resources, interest, and usage are dependent upon multiple factors. Therefore, the committee’s adoption of this stance further reinforced the concept of swimming as a broad community interest and need. The final core value driving the committee’s work was to approach the project with an inquiry stance. This meant that data would be gathered and questions would be asked prior to tendering any recommendations or potential solutions. 3 Frederick County Public Schools Pool Advisory Committee Spring 2013 PROCESS Following receipt of the charge from the superintendent, the chief operating officer and executive director of facilities services met to plan the work of the advisory committee. Invitations were issued based on recommendations from the superintendent, community leaders, and FCPS staff. Five meetings, each lasting two hours, were conducted through the months of April and May 2013. An agenda was developed for each meeting, and committee members were invited to add or amend the topics. Notes were taken at each meeting and published to the members within two days of convening. The following agenda items guided committee conversations and research: • Identify FCPS and community needs for a pool • Determine where FCPS and community needs intersect or complement each other • Brainstorm known and potential sources of funding • Delineate potential barriers for a joint-use facility • Characterize potential benefits for a joint-use facility • Explore aquatics facilities models in other counties • Gather pool design/specifications • Review media reports on pools in Frederick County • Perform a Cost Benefit Analysis for pool operations • Examine existing data for pool use (county, city, FCPS, YMCA, higher education, etc.) Data to include usage, operating cost, revenue, maintenance costs, operational responsibility The committee reviewed, examined, and discussed the following information and data: • Arlington Public Schools (Virginia) versus Frederick County Public Schools (Maryland) demographic data: number of schools, student enrollment, operating budgets, median household income, per capita income, population growth in county • Arlington County, VA and Arlington Public Schools Memorandum of Understanding for aquatics operations • Frederick News-Post articles and editorial • Frederick High School Feasibility Study Report (December 2012) proposed pool space requirements • Montgomery County Department of Recreation: Indoor and Outdoor Swimming Pool Design and Information • FCPS Pool Rental Comparisons by School (FY 2012, FY 2013) • FCPS Pool Operating Revenue and Expense Analysis (FY 2012, FY 2013) • The City of Frederick Parks and Recreation Department Swimming Pool Report 2012 • Frederick County Division of Parks and Recreation Partnership with the Frederick County Public Schools for Aquatics Programs 4 Frederick County Public Schools Pool Advisory Committee Spring 2013 • Frederick County USA Swimmers (i.e. swim clubs) participation trend data 2009-2013 • Frederick Summer Swim League (FSSL) trend data • “Save a Pool” materials from USS New Life for Aquatic Centers • FCPS participation and student demographic data for swimming and diving athletics programs • FCPS enrollment data for aquatics courses • YMCA revenue and expenses data for aquatics programs • YMCA swim team and other aquatics programs participation • FCPS Pool Sustainability Committee Report January 2012 FINDINGS As discussed in the background and process sections of this report, the Pool Advisory Committee examined each area and questions contained in the charge and utilized multiple sources of information to establish each finding. In all cases, findings represent the consensus of the committee, rather than simple majority. The three areas contained in the charge were used to organize the committee’s findings as follows: Charge #1: Examine the current funding sources available for a private/public partnership that can construct a high school pool to primarily serve FHS and FCPS athletic and instructional programs. 1.1 Identify the current projected cost of a pool building at FHS. Finding: • The Frederick High School Feasibility Report estimates $5-6 million for