HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-13-21 Public Comment - N. Olson - Aquatics Center Staffing_Scheduling SolutionsFrom:Nicole Olson
Subject:Aquatics Center Staffing/Scheduling Solutions
Date:Tuesday, May 11, 2021 12:58:53 PM
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Bozeman Commission,
My name is Nicole Olson and I'm writing to you regarding the staffing situation with
the Aquatics Department in Bozeman. We moved to Bozeman in late 2019 because
of the wonderful opportunities for children to grow up in this community, one of
those opportunities being a swim team. From the first day we arrived in Montana, the
Bozeman Barracudas Swim Club has helped them to make friends and build
relationships, even in the absence of a regular school year, regular playdates or all of
the childhood things that children have missed out on due to COVID-19. Ourdaughters have met friends from schools all over Bozeman, and their coaches have
helped build their spirits and their confidence during the pandemic as well as the
normal personal hiccups that tweenage girls experience. :) The Swim Club has
worked tirelessly to give these children a physical and mental outlet during thecraziest of years, both children and adults are affected by the proposed change to the
middle of the working day.
This very weekend, the Bozeman Barracuda Swim Club is hosting a meet that willbring an additional 250 people to the city -- staying in our hotels, eating in our
restaurants. We LOVE Bozeman and we LOVE sharing it with our visiting swim
families. We have the ONLY indoor 50M pool in the entire state, which makes it a
covetable place to hold a swim meet with Montana's unpredictable summer weather.The Club has a contract to host the State Swim Meet in late July as well, but has
been told that pool staffing may also impact that, which in turn impacts competitive
swimming for all of the swimmers throughout the state of Montana.
Yesterday I received a city-wide email from the Aquatics Center which implied that
the only solution was to hire 21 employees. I respectfully disagree. This
determination, shared with the entire city, was made without consulting the user
groups who have come forward with creative ideas or offers to help. We want to help!We have what we feel is a common goal, that all city members (recreational,
competitive, etc) who want to swim should have the opportunity to do so.
I understand what the city-wide message quoted about lifeguards keeping patronssafe by ONLY lifeguarding during their shift, but that certainly doesn't need to be the
end of the story. For example, what if one or two of our Red Cross certified coaches
sit in a chair and serve as lifeguard during a practice (so that their only duty at that
time was lifeguarding)? Or perhaps some of the 8 currently certified lifeguards whoare members of our team could alternate and sit out of practice to guard for that
period? This wouldn't require any additional city resources and actually MAKES the
city money because of the revenue from renting pool space without paying 4-6 city
guards to be there. This is just one of many potential solutions that can be
brainstormed when people work together toward a common goal.
I'm asking for your help, as elected officials, to open a discussion with the City about
some alternatives to maintain the time of day that the team was contracted and the
time our coaches and families have scheduled around. I want to reiterate, we all want
to help, we want to participate and be a part of the solution! Can you help us facilitate
this?
I invite you, at any time, to please visit the swim center between 3:55-4:25pm (ourcurrently scheduled practice) and watch the enthusiasm and positive energy that is
palpable from the 137 children and 9 coaches, as well as their parents, who are wildly
enthusiastic that our kids have a healthy thing to do at this time of day, seeing friends
and getting a workout in the absence of Chromebook screens and video games! :)
Respectfully,
Nicole Olson
Amelia Olson (age 11) + Ingrid Olson (age 9) 497 Princeton Place
Bozeman, MT 59715