[img]2178|right|Robert Zirgulis||no_popup[/img]With the first candidates forum taking wing this evening at 7 at El Rincon Elementary, Robert Zirgulis, one of the more familiar contenders for the School Board, was asked if it was a difficult decision to mount a third try at winning on Nov. 5.
“Yes, it was,” said the substitute teacher. “I mulled it over, and I was thinking the school pool,” a cause with which he has been identified more than anyone else in Culver City.
Most students and every newspaper reader in this community know that Mr. Zirgulis has been ardently campaigning for a revival of the campus Natatorium, adjacent to Culver City High School, dark since the early 1990s.
“I got such a favorable response to reopening the school pool that I decided to run again,” he said.
“School pool” has become the new populist phrase, seemingly replacing its origi8nal name, the Natatorium.
“I have been so frustrated by this School Board,” said Mr. Zirgulis. “When you go and ask them to do something, they don’t. Like talking to a stone wall.
“I started to bring up this petition about getting the school pool fixed. I got such a wide response that I decided the best way to highlight it, to make it an issue, was to run and make it my platform.
“It is important, when you are running for office, you can bring up an issue. Lately,” said Mr. Zirgulis, his trademark smile making a comeback, “I believe the School Board has been softening its stance toward the school pool.”
What is the evidence?
“At the last School Board meeting, last week, we brought up the fact that common sense would tell you, why would the construction company Balfour Beatty has plans to spend $10 million to destroy the pool and put a multi-purpose room there. On the other hand, it would only cost $3 million to fix the pool. Ten million to demolish the pool for a multi-purpose room only would serve 80 students from Culver Park,” said Mr. Zirgulis.
“If you fix the pool for $3 million, it serves 6,500 students, everybody.
“That $7 million difference could be used to fix bathrooms, put air conditioning in classrooms. It could be used for multiple purposes.
“This is just common sense.
“I am trying to bring common sense to the School Board.”
(To be continued)
