Sunnyside parks board focuses on pool funding, lifeguard staffing and a soccer master plan; elects leadership

The Sunnyside City Parks and Recreation Board on an organizational meeting discussed a package of measures to shore up pool operations, to pursue a soccer master plan using REIT funding, and elected its 2025 leadership.

City Manager Mike Gonzales told the board the city is studying ways to run the pool more efficiently while the council considers a proposed 2% utility tax that, if approved, could be earmarked to support the pool. Gonzales said community groups have offered support: “If the council is to approve the 2% utility tax, they’ll definitely donate up to $50,000 to support,” he said.

Why it matters: the board framed pool operations as both a budget pressure and a potential local economic driver. Board members pressed for concrete schedules, clearer pricing, and staffing plans so the pool can open reliably for summer programs, swim teams and weekend public swim.

Board discussion and context

Gonzales outlined several cost drivers the board can address: small swim-lesson rosters, overlap between classes, and staffing levels. He said the city sometimes paid lifeguards to staff sessions with very few participants, and that anemic class sizes made some swim lessons effectively cost the city more than the fee collected. "We paid a hundred and $25 for the swim lesson," Gonzales said, describing an example in which a $35 fee did not cover staff time. He urged combining classes and adjusting session times to reduce duplicate staffing.

Board members and staff debated hours, holiday openings and length of season. The transcript shows the 2024 season opened June 21 and closed August 10; board members proposed a longer season in 2025, suggesting a Memorial Day weekend opening and a Labor Day or early-September close if maintenance issues (such as pump repairs) can be resolved in time. Members urged the pool be open on weekends and holidays if the community is asked to pay more.

Recruiting and training lifeguards

The board discussed lifeguard recruitment and certification costs. Gonzales said lifeguards were being paid roughly $20 per hour and noted certification costs (one board member cited $185) can be a barrier for some applicants. Members asked staff to explore options to subsidize certification or confirm whether certification costs can be recovered from first paychecks. Board members emphasized scheduling that makes the job clear and reliable for seasonal staff: “If you have the on the weekends… This is your schedule. And if you can't do it, then move along,” one participant said, arguing that consistent schedules would make hiring easier.

Operational details and user experience

Board members asked that swim-meet and public-swim schedules be posted and laminated at the pool and on the city website so families know when the facility is open for public swim. They asked staff to arrange basic cleaning and trash service timed for swim meets and to ensure communications with swim teams about dates. Staff reported problems in 2024 when a pump failure delayed opening; board members said earlier confirmation of openings (and a posted calendar) would reduce confusion.

Funding and governance

Gonzales and members discussed financing options tied to strategy and outreach. In addition to the utility-tax proposal and a Rotary pledge, the manager suggested using REIT (capital/facilities) funds to pay for planning and consultant work for larger park projects. He estimated a robust soccer master plan would likely cost in the low tens of thousands and described REIT as an available funding bucket tied to the city’s capital facilities plan.

Soccer master plan proposal

Board members widely discussed making soccer a formal focus for 2025. Gonzales proposed the board champion a soccer master plan that would scope field upgrades, maintenance costs, potential indoor facilities and economic impact. He said the plan could help the city seek legislative funding and create a clear case for any voter measures. The board discussed portable goals and smaller capital footprints as lower-cost near-term options. One member moved to make soccer the board’s mission for the year; the motion appears in the record but a formal vote outcome is not specified in the transcript.

Other parks matters

Board members raised related items: use of tennis courts for evening soccer practice and whether lights remain on around the clock (staff was asked to investigate); continued use of the community center for indoor practices by local organizers (who need liability insurance sufficient to cover the city); and a small public-works action to remove graffiti from a park sign, which staff completed.

Elections and next steps

The board completed organizational business: a nomination for chair was made and passed, and the board elected a vice chair (the record shows Sherry Holden was confirmed as vice chair). Members directed staff to prepare pool cost and schedule proposals (including proposed weekend and holiday hours), to gather swim-team schedules for posting, to investigate lights/timers at outdoor courts, and to circulate a preliminary proposal for a soccer master plan so the board can consider engagement of a consultant and a stakeholder schedule.

Ending

Board members agreed to prepare a focused action plan, with the chair expected to present any request for council consideration (for example, a pool fee change or use of REIT funding for planning) with supporting numbers and a staffing recommendation. Several members urged the pool be open on weekends and holidays if the community is being asked to provide new or increased funding.