PORT ANGELES — Last spring, voters saved the William Shore Memorial Pool. But what will happen to the jobs of those who work there?
The commissioners of the metropolitan park district that now owns the public pool expect to discuss a facility management agreement with the Clallam County Family YMCA at its Feb. 23 meeting.
The agreement would put the nonprofit organization in charge of pool staff, among other services.
As part of that transfer, expected to officially occur June 1, the pool’s 30 to 35 employees will have to reapply for their positions, the heads of the William Shore Memorial Pool District commission and YMCA have said.
YMCA Executive Director Kyle Cronk declined further comment, but said “there will some sort of interview process.”
Mike Chapman, pool district chairman and Clallam County commissioner, explained that the YMCA needs to have the employees reapply because it has to do its own background checks.
The YMCA must satisfy its liability insurance, and ensure that workers are certified with the nonprofit organization to be life guards and swim instructors, he said.
“We would also have to have liability insurance, and also have to go through the same hiring process” if the park district directly managed the staff, Chapman said.
Under the agreement, the park district will remain the owner of the facility.
But it remains unclear how any changes in management will affect the staff. And the feeling among current employees is generally one of uncertainty, said Aquatics Manager Jayna Lafferty.
Employees concerned
“People are concerned,” said Lafferty, whose own job is not guaranteed.
“They’re concerned more about changes than anything. Everybody has got a different opinion on it.”
“I don’t know how they are going to handle it,” she added.
“That’s the biggest concern right there. Everything is up in the air.”
Brandon Christensen, pool supervisor, life guard and swim instructor, said he doesn’t expect there to be major staff changes but is still unsure of how he would become YMCA-certified.
“I hope we will be able to transfer over smoothly,” he said.
“Again, it’s an uncertainty.”
Chapman said that he had spoken with the park district’s attorney to see if there can be anything added to the contract before it is signed to help ensure job security for the pool employees.
“I don’t think we can bind them legally,” he said, “but I think we can certainly put in a request for them to do that.
“I think he [Attorney Craig Miller] is going to try to work some language in that they would give some preference to pool employees.”
Miller said the city could transfer the background checks it did on the employees to the YMCA, as long as the employee signed a waiver.
But, he added, “I don’t think anyone wants to say, ‘No, you don’t have the right to . . . put them through whatever background checks are appropriate or dictated by the national organization, your insurance company, anybody.'”
City staff members are recommending that the YMCA keep as many current employees as possible.
While employees are expecting to have to reapply for their job and become certified with the YMCA, Chapman added that he doesn’t think there will be changes in staffing if the contract is approved.
Expect all to be hired
“I fully expect that the vast majority of employees will be hired by the [YMCA],” he said.
Chapman also said that the commission may hold off voting on the contract until there can be an open house on it to allow for more public input.
“We’re not going to ram something through without people being aware and working through these issues,” he said.
The proposed three-year contract for the YMCA to manage the pool is $363,552 per year. The contract amount is intended to merely cover the costs of keeping the pool running, Chapman said.
In 2009, the pool cost the city about $334,000 to keep running.
Commissioners say the contract would cost the park district less than if the staff were managed directly by the taxing authority.
Charles McClain, the park district’s accountant, estimates it would cost an additional $40,000 to $50,000 for the park district to manage staff and handle payroll in house. Currently, the park district contracts with the city to manage the pool.
“One thing we are trying to do is minimize general administration cost,” McClain said.
The park district is using a 14.8 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation property tax to cover the costs of the pool.
Under the contract, they say the park district would remain responsible for setting all fees and approving all contracts. Hours of operation will also not be allowed to be reduced and the pool will remain open to all of the public.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
