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District reopens pool after renovations; Palm City resident urges return to community-operated model
Summary
Director of facilities reported capital projects including Stewart Middle cafeteria and Murray Middle School replacement timeline; the district reopened the pool Aug. 11 after health-department requirements. A public speaker from Palm City criticized district control of the pool and urged restoration of community-led operations.
Mark Seacrest, the district's director of facilities and planning, updated the board on capital work including Stewart Middle School's new cafeteria and ongoing punch-list work at South Fork High School. He said the Murray Middle School building-replacement project will move forward once the board approves an architect contract; an architect recommendation was on the agenda.
Seacrest reported that the pool reopened Aug. 11 and that the Martin County High swim team has been using it. He said the district completed items the health department requested before reopening and that additional work (new floor, bleachers, HVAC upgrades) will finish later in September.
During public comment, a Palm City resident urged the board to return control of the community pool to the head coach and local operators, saying the district's staff "usurped those responsibilities and closed the pool for an entire year with no reason to do so." The resident said the district had prevented morning practices, restricted age-group teams and required the head coach to remain in a lifeguard seat while coaching. The speaker described a series of safety and access concerns and called for the board to "let the pool go back to normal operations directed only by the head coach." (Speaker identified in the record as a Palm City resident.)
Superintendent Michael Maine clarified that he, as superintendent, made the decision to close the pool because the district and the health department identified conditions that required renovation. Maine said the district secured board approval for renovations, completed required health-department items and reopened the pool; he added teams were provided alternate practice arrangements during the closure.
Ending: The board did not take formal policy action on pool operations at this meeting; staff said renovations are complete enough for current use and that capital timelines for Murray Middle School and other projects will proceed as the board approves architects and contractors.
