In an earlier piece, Robert Smith, longtime president of the Friends of the Culver City Natatorium, estimated that it would cost about $800K to backfill the pool in with dirt and leave the building as an empty shell on the site. What Mr. Smith did not explain was that back in 2005, the School District’s renovation plans were scuttled because the annual maintenance costs for the Natatorium were estimated at $350K. Eight years later, adding for inflation, those costs probably have escalated closer to $500K.
More Than Less
One major factor the School Board needs to consider in any proposed configuration is the ongoing maintenance costs after it is built. It is common knowledge that the costs for a theatre/classroom configuration would be only a fraction of the half-million dollar cost of maintaining the Natatorium as a year-round pool facility. Our District does not have a half-million dollars lying around waiting to be spent on maintaining the Natatorium.
Immersed in Pool Politics
At the last Democratic Club forum/endorsement meeting, various questions were asked so the School Board candidates could discuss issues facing our community. Most stayed on issue. But just like a one-trick pony, Robert Zirgulis only talked about the Natatorium and not much else.
Yes, there are six weeks left before Election Day, plenty of time for meaningful discussions among the real candidates about the issues facing our community. Maybe by then Mr. Smith can get Mr. Zirgulis to talk about other pressing matters rather than forcing us to listen to his constant droning about the Natatorium.
Cyclical Plans
When declaring his candidacy, Mr. Zirgulis usually gloms onto a local hot topic. Remember his campaign against red-light cameras? This fourth time around is no different. He has chosen to anoint himself as the pool’s lead protagonist. This is to take advantage, once again, of the prerogatives afforded serious candidates, all with his newly chosen pool-cloaked impunity.
Right Message, Wrong Messenger
In this latest rendition, Mr. Zirgulis tries to shield himself by intertwining his own seemingly endless, quixotic campaign with the issue of the Natatorium. He hopes, by mixing the two, he will somehow protect himself from any obviously deserved criticism; for any personal rebuke of him would be seen as being against the Natatorium.
What he and his few supporters fail to realize is that Mr. Z’s campaign style of personal attacks on the School Board, in trying to embarrass members into action, are having an opposite effect in fixing our pool.
Piles of Pigeon Poop
I often have wondered where were Mr. Zirgulis and his Friends of the Culver City Natatorium when I went into the Natatorium and took my photo expose for publication in the local papers way back in 2008; showing the inches-thick layers of pigeon poop covering the Natatorium floor.
Where were you, Mr. Z? Where were you, Mr.Smith? Where was the Friends group? Where was your outrageous indignation?
Did He Forget Something?
In his letter to the editor supporting Mr. Z’s pool efforts, I noticed that Mr. Smith could not even bring himself to come right out and personally endorse Mr. Zirgulis for the Board.
This omission should clearly point out the intended pretense in Mr. Z’s Board campaigns.
Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com
