By Robert Zirgulis
I presented my “Fix Our Culver City School Natatorium Swimming Pool” petition to the Culver City Democratic Club last night.
The club overwhelmingly endorsed the petition despite School Board President Kathy Paspalis’s strong objections to the petition.
I strongly advise Ms. Paspalis to change her position against fixing the Natatorium because there are a lot of people who have strong feelings for fixing the Natatorium.
She was trying to misrepresent my position and facts about the Natatorium.
All we are asking is that the School Board and the City Council commit to finding ways to raise funds needed to refurbish and keep open the Culver City School Natatorium swimming pool.
“For example, the School Board has the power to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP), at no cost to the School District. The way a Request for Proposal works is similar to putting out a bid to pool operator companies. The RFP would specify that a pool operator would be able to enter a lease agreement whereby the pool operator would refurbish the pool and maintain it with the stipulation that the School District would have use of the pool during school hours and team events.
In return, the pool operator would have use of the pool after school hours to run its business of leasing the pool to swim teams, scuba classes, and city swim programs. Senior citizens and the general public would be able to use the pool in much the same way The Plunge is being used – except it would be an indoor pool.
The city can participate in joint use agreements with the School Board for use of the pool. The city already is doing this with The Plunge and at other school athletic fields.
All we are asking for is to give us a chance. Don’t shoot us down before we can do anything about it.
There is a huge clamor by the public to open up the Natatorium for public viewing. The best way to do this is hold a candidates forum among those running for the School Board in November.
If Ms. Paspalis opposes this, she does so at her own peril. I will make sure everyone in Culver City knows if she tries to sabotage the will of the people.
Meanwhile, I would like to announce I already have collected over 500 signatures on the petition to fix the Natatorium.
If any one out there wants to help circulate petitions, I will be collecting petition signatures tonight at opening Summer Festival Concert in the Courtyard of City Hall, 9770 Culver Blvd., starting at 6:30.
The more we can get the public aware of what we are doing, the more influence we will have on the School Board and the City Council.
Mr. Zirgulis, a candidate for the School Board, may be contacted at zirgulisr@yahoo.com
