FYI

  _____  

From: pcro...@ak.net [mailto:pcro...@ak.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 1:21 PM
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: Timing of Repairs At Service Pool
Importance: High

Jeff Dillon and Mari Steinbach have asked me to poll the Aquatics Committee
regarding the timing of repairs to Service Pool.  There are facts that are
well established at this point:

        1.  We will not know if the state matching funds are available until
approximately May 23rd.  This is the last date that the Gov can veto items.

        2.  MOA cannot issue bid packets for work beyond the money on hand
until it knows it has the additional funds.

        3.  With bids not occurring until June at the earliest, it is
virtually impossible for all the work at Service to be completed before
school opens.  It is likely that the work would continue into Sept or Oct.
because the roof work remains to be designed, spec'd and bid.  If Parks and
Recreation moves forward on a part of the work required at Service, it would
need to be spread over two summers in all likelihood because of difficulties
scheduling the internal work.  For example, MOA has only one painter and
wants to do the work internally rather than contract it out.    

        4.  Although the lighting changes were spec'd and bid last year,
there is a serious discussion going on as to whether or not different lights
are a better choice both for energy efficiency and lighting reasons.

        5.  The new pool liner will not be fiberglass, but what to use as a
replacement has been an issue - plaster versus vinyl for example - with
information needed to determine lifespans, maintenance costs, etc., so see
which is most cost effective.   After looking at it the P & R staff has come
down on the side of the plaster based on environmental factors and
durability.

        6.  The roof requires further design work  which will delay its
specs and bidding.  A very significant issue is whether or not the interior
repairs should be made before the roof is removed and replaced.

        7.  It is possible to make decisions quickly, push out the bid
packages, and conduct the work, but the pool will be closed for a longer
time, including what could be a significant portion of the high school
season.  It is also possible to try to do the interior work this summer and
close the pool again next summer to do the roof, but as indicated above it
is possible that the internal work would carry over to next summer.  It is
possible that the interior work could keep Service Pool closed into the High
School season; remember all of the school projects that have not been
finished until after school has started because of the same kinds of
problems with timing.

        8.  The remaining alternative is to take more time to make decisions
on the Service repairs, have the pool open this summer (except for any
regular maintenance down time), do the specs and bidding, and schedule the
work so that it starts as soon as the Service Pool is closed next summer,
but would be open for the High School season and public use in the Fall.

     I favor putting off all the work until next summer.  I see two
advantages:

            1.  Decisions on the liner, lighting, and roof can be made with
the time to gather information on alternatives and evaluate them.  We want
the right decisions to be made; decisions should not be driven by a timeline
but by the best information that can be gathered.  It does not make sense to
make a selection simply because a decision has to be made in order to get
work underway.

        2.  Although it means putting up with the pool conditions for
another year, it will mean that it will be closed for one more summer (next
year) and the impact on the high school seasons minimized or eliminated and
public impact will be minimized.

    Please give me your feedback as soon as possible.  I need to respond to
P & R not later than late Friday so they can decide where to focus their
current effort.  Some of you may be aware that the issues identified above
are ones that involve alternatives that were identified by members of the
Aquatics Committee.  The Committee will be forming a small technical
committee to exploit the expertise of members of the aquatics community and
their friends to gather information on alternatives and function as an
advisory group for the repairs.  This is our chance to get it right, to make
the pools more cost and energy efficient within the scope of the work and
money.  There may be other issues/ideas that we can identify that result in
additional cost savings, the ones noted here are just the ones that rose to
the surface quickly.

If you have questions or comments then please send me an email and also
indicate the direction you are leaning.  If you have a position on this, but
you have a question, then please send me the question.  If I do not receive
protests and hard questions, then I am going to assume that folks agree with
me and advise them of that.  I will also gladly accept and read messages
that indicate you agree with me.  

If you want to forward this to a Service Pool user, then feel free to do so.
I want as many people as possible to be aware of what is happening, why it
is happening, and to have a chance to be heard.

Pete Crosby  pcro...@ak.net