Council authorizes mayor to negotiate new swim-team contract and directs review of pool operating costs

The Hollywood Park City Council on April 15 authorized Mayor Drash to negotiate and execute a contract renewal with the swim program operator (to be renamed "Clover Aquatics") for Voigt Center pool use and directed staff to evaluate operating costs and cost-sharing with other off-season users.

Coach Kevin Galivan, who operates the town’s year-round swim program and said roughly 60 percent of his swimmers live in Hollywood Park, told council he supports a two-year arrangement for stability and that he needs confirmation soon to complete the team’s USA Swimming paperwork for the coming season. Galivan asked the town for a multi-year contract and flexibility to coordinate with other users.

Mayor Drash and Council discussed operating costs, including gas for pool heating, electricity, water and chemical expenses. Council members asked staff to gather historical bills and to prorate shared costs among users (for example Great Hearts and other contracted groups) so any charge passed to a single vendor reflects actual usage. City staff produced a spreadsheet showing recent utility costs and advised that the Voigt Center expenses had not previously been consolidated with the general fund; auditors recommended combining revenue and expenses in the same fund for clarity. Staff said they will pull prior-year utility bills, allocate meter- and usage-based costs by user, and return with a proposed fee structure.

Galivan requested the council authorize negotiations quickly because his current contract with Texas Gold expires April 30. The council approved a motion authorizing the mayor (with assistance from council member Todd Kuntz) to negotiate and execute a new swim-program contract; the motion instructed staff to aim for terms at least equal to last year’s fee (not less than $14,000) while allowing adjustments once staff confirms prorated operating costs. The motion passed by voice vote with all council members present voting in favor.

The authorization gives the mayor the ability to finalize a short-term renewal so the swim program can register with USA Swimming; staff will return to council with a recommended annual fee and a proposed cost-sharing approach for multi-user months.

Staff also reported other pool-related items during the meeting: the splash pad was reported open following repairs to its control board and reservoir systems; staff will notify residents via the town’s "Get Connected" messaging system when the splash pad is available. Council asked staff to provide a full accounting of pool-related costs, including meter-based utilities and allocated public-works labor and maintenance, before finalizing multi-year commitments.