An Informal Informational Meeting ("Shirtsleeve" Session) of the Lodi City Council was held Tuesday, August 6, 2002 commencing at 7:03 a.m.

Present: Council Members – Hitchcock (arrived at 7:07 a.m.), Howard, Land, Nakanishi, and Mayor Pennino

Absent: Council Members – None

Also Present: City Manager Flynn, City Attorney Hays, and City Clerk Blackston

City Clerk Blackston reviewed the weekly calendar (filed).

C-1 "Aquatics Program Update"

City Manager Flynn explained that this topic is on the agenda at the request of two Council Members who asked staff to look at ways to improve the aquatics programs. He stated that this has been done and staff believes the programs are working well as they are.

Parks and Recreation Director Baltz reported that his department utilizes six facilities to operate aquatics programs, which are classified as recreational, instructional, and competitive.

Jennifer Alberti, Recreation Supervisor, stated that she is a certified American Red Cross lifeguard and is working toward obtaining a Lifeguard Instructor (LGI) Certificate. During full operation Ms. Alberti has a staff of 35 lifeguards, swim instructors, and pool managers. The summer swim league has six teams with over 700 swimmers. Lifeguarding classes are offered five times a year. She reviewed swimming facilities and aquatics programs.

Tory Sonstroem stated that she has been the Aquatics Coordinator at Hutchins Street Square for the past eight months. Hutchins Street Square aquatics programs run 12 months a year, seven days a week. The pool is open to the public over 75 hours per week, with private rental by Lodi Memorial Hospital ten hours a week. They serve a wide range of participants primarily in need of water exercise and therapy. Twenty-six water aerobic classes are offered each week, with 25 to 30 participants per class. In addition, physical therapy and adaptive aquatics for developmentally disabled adults from group homes is offered. The aquatics staff consists of 17 part-time individuals. Senior citizens are the primary market for the Hutchins Street Square pool. Ms. Sonstroem described her education, experience, qualifications, and background, which she stated are a "perfect fit" for her position.

Mr. Flynn stated that the City has excellent staff running the aquatics programs. He had previously asked them if there was any advantage to putting the Parks and Recreation and Hutchins Street Square programs together, and staff believed there was not.

Community Center Director Lange recalled that when William Holtz gave a $2.2 million donation toward Hutchins Street Square in 1987, his wish was to do something for senior citizens. A health maintenance swimming pool was constructed that is shallow and has a stainless steel gutter system. She noted that while the aquatics programs at Hutchins Street Square and the Parks and Recreation Department are managed separately, there is communication between the two departments, particularly for instructional support and lifeguards.

Mayor Pennino clarified that he had asked two years ago if the City could benefit from one unified training program for lifeguards and emphasized that he believed such a Citywide policy would be advantageous.

Mr. Baltz replied in the affirmative, noting that it would merely be a matter of coordination and communication. He pointed out, however, that the two departments have different needs. As an example, lifeguards at Lodi Lake need a training module for open water.

Mayor Pennino stated that he did not want to see facilities closed due to the lack of employees and asked how the City could better manage lifeguards.

Ms. Sonstroem replied that her goal is to recruit mature adults and offer them lifeguard training.

Council Member Howard voiced concern about possible misinformation, or a scare tactic, that may have been used by informing Hutchins Street Square pool users that the aquatics programs at that facility were in jeopardy. She clarified that the purpose of today’s discussion stemmed in part from her request to consider potential benefits that may be derived from the incorporation of Parks and Recreation and Hutchins Street Square aquatics programs under one aquatics supervisor. She also believed that there is a need to consolidate the lifeguard training services. Ms. Howard stated that she, and a handful of other people, started the aquatics program that is operated by Lodi Memorial Hospital. She voiced strong support for the Hutchins Street Square aquatics programs. She emphasized the importance of long-term planning and noted that the City’s goal is to build a new aquatics facility that will be multi-purpose.

Council Member Land stated that during his six years on the Council he has learned that seniors keep the Council informed of problems and needs in the community. As he had not heard any complaints from the seniors using the Hutchins Street Square pool, he did not believe there were any problems that needed to be addressed.

In response to Council Member Howard’s comment about misinformation, Mr. Flynn stated that there was never a suggestion made by staff that the programs would be changed. There is, however, a perceived threat by the users that if administration changes, the programming will be affected.

Council Member Land noted that correspondence from physicians in support of the programming at Hutchins Street Square pool has been received by Council (filed).

Council Member Nakanishi read the following statement from a letter submitted by Sandy Hutchens, "regardless of current intentions there is a real fear that should Parks and Recreation take over the pool, eventually the program would be changed to have more emphasis on recreation rather than fitness." He asked that the minutes of this meeting reflect that approximately 100 senior citizens were present. He preferred that departments be separate and autonomous.

Council Member Howard stated that it is the responsibility of the Aquatics Coordinator to look at programs and figure out what the best balance is, which occasionally results in changes to the programs. She suggested that this same oversight be applied to all aquatics programs and pools in Lodi by an Aquatics Supervisor, with a focus on keeping the theme of "health and wellness" at Hutchins Street Square.

Mayor Pro Tempore Hitchcock believed that each department knows what is best for their specific programming, and for this reason, she favored keeping them separate.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

• Don Phillips stated that he swims every day at Hutchins Street Square. He commented that he was very honored to be elected Citizen of the Year last year and voiced pride in the community. His seven year old grandson recently won a race at a swimming meet held at Tokay High School. His older grandson, Kevin Phillips, was selected to have his poetry engraved at the Veterans Memorial Plaza.

• Jerry Zimmerman stated that he uses the Hutchins Street Square pool every morning and volunteered to serve as a lifeguard.

• Jack Paden explained that there is a difference in the environment older people need, as compared to what younger, more active people need. Older people are comfortable in 90 degree water, while younger people in that temperature do not find it conducive to swimming. He stated that if the water and ambient air temperature are decreased, it will interfere with the current programming.

• Wallace Sakata asked what programs might change.

Council Member Howard stated that when she was working at Hutchins Street Square as a physical therapy assistant she noticed miscommunication and duplication of services between the Parks and Recreation Department and Hutchins Street Square. A situation occurred where Hutchins Street Square was told they had to cancel a program and send everyone home because it conflicted with something at the Parks and Recreation Department. People in the community did not know which department to call when they had questions about aquatics programs. Some pool users wanted more lap time, but complained that the temperature was too hot, while others said the water was too cold for arthritis classes. From this feedback and discussion between a physical therapist and the City Manager, a theme of "health and wellness" for the Hutchins Street Square pool was decided on. From these experiences, it led her to ask how staff could coordinate the lifeguard programs and have one Aquatics Coordinator so that citizens could call one location for an answer regarding any aquatic program.

• Arthur Price expressed his opinion that the program is run beautifully and could not see how it could be improved. He believed that a change in administration would result in an emphasis on youth rather than seniors. He was opposed to making any changes whatsoever.

• Kirby Lawson commented that he and his wife have homes in Lodi and Prescott, Arizona. He has used the pool at Hutchins Street Square for the past few weeks. He asked whether there were any volunteer lifeguards, to which staff answered that there were not. He pointed out that typically when jobs are enhanced, the pay increases as well, and indicated that the administration change being suggested would cost the City more money. In summary, he stated "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."

Council Member Howard stated that the profits and monies from the aquatics programs at Hutchins Street Square remain in the Community Center’s budget. She commented that if a large profit is being made from a program it is difficult to release control of it, such as for the purposes being discussed today, because it would mean the monies would go into an overall Parks and Recreation fund used for a variety of programs.

• Alice Weisz stated that she has been using the Hutchins Street Square pool for many years and will soon be 92 years old. She believed that if she were not using the pool, she would be in a wheelchair. Her doctor advised her to increase the days she exercises in the pool from three to five days a week. She was opposed to making any changes to the way the pool is being operated.

• Norma Smith stated that the reason she chose to move to Lodi six years ago was due to the Hutchins Street Square pool and the value it has for her health. She noted that many elderly people live alone and the pool serves as a social outlet for participants. She stated that the administration does an excellent job.
   

• Toni Cayuela, Parks and Recreation Department Aquatics Supervisor, stated that she teaches lifeguard training and believed that it would be a great idea to combine training for both Parks and Recreation and Hutchins Street Square. She suggested that in-service training be combined and competitions be scheduled to build lifeguard skills.
   

• Mary Dorsett stated that she has been using the Hutchins Street Square pool at her doctor’s recommendation. During the past three months she lost weight, gained strength, and eliminated the need for crutches.
   

• Linda Chatic stated that her husband has been disabled for 30 years and she has seen him go from being in a wheelchair, to being able to walk, because of water therapy. She felt that the best qualified people to make decisions for the seniors are the people who see them on a daily basis.
   

• Darlyn Bristow believed that changing the administration would eventually lead to programming changes, to which she was opposed.

Mayor Pennino reiterated his belief that a Citywide policy is needed for lifeguard training and noted that the planned Aquatics Facility will have one 50-meter pool and one 25-meter pool.

Council Members Land and Nakanishi believed that no changes should be made to the current operation of the City’s pools.

Mayor Pro Tempore Hitchcock was not in favor of a Citywide lifeguard training program because she believed that specific training is more beneficial. She recalled previous Council consideration of combining Parks and Recreation and Hutchins Street Square into one department called Leisure Service. She was opposed to the concept because it would have created another layer of government. She stated that there are unique and different needs for Hutchins Street Square and Parks and Recreation. She preferred decentralized services for the efficiency it creates.

Council Member Howard reiterated her support for one lifeguard program, one Aquatics Director, and to retain the theme at Hutchins Street Square of "health and wellness."

Mayor Pennino encouraged Ms. Lange and Mr. Baltz to look at ways to obtain efficiencies in lifeguard training and increase safety for pool users.

Mr. Flynn stated that staff will always be looking at ways to improve operations. He understood from today’s meeting that there is no real need for change at the present time and staff will continue to move forward with programs as they are.

None.

No action was taken by the City Council. The meeting was adjourned at 8:31 a.m.

ATTEST:

Susan J. Blackston
City Clerk