Parent urges board to accelerate pool repairs after starting block failed at meet

A DeWitt parent told the Board of Education she witnessed a starting block break during a boys swim meet and urged the board to restore earlier timelines for bond-funded pool repairs and replacements.

Jennifer McNeely, who identified herself as a parent and gave an address in the public comment period, said she watched a starting block fail as a swimmer launched into the pool. She said the failure delayed races, required lane changes and undermined confidence in equipment safety. "Fear of equipment breakage has no place in the swimming pool," McNeely said, and she asked the board to "swiftly put our pool upgrades and replacements back into the bond agenda."

McNeely said earlier bond reports and quarterly updates had listed planned pool work (starting blocks, diving boards and deck repairs) as occurring in 2025 or 2026 but that public bond updates and RFP postings after 2023 no longer showed the pool work as prioritized. She said she could not find a board action or minutes documenting the change and asked the board for clarity on when the decision to move or delay the work occurred.

Superintendent Kevin Robidec and other staff responded that the pool-deck, starting blocks and diving-board work remain part of the bond project and that architects are beginning planning and design. Robidec said staff will bring swim coaches into planning conversations as the design proceeds. "We're getting into the planning of that right now," he said, and he noted that Coach Grace was aware of the items the district is planning for next year.

Board members and staff acknowledged McNeely's safety concerns; one board member said that scheduling the starting-block repairs for next year was "not soon enough." Staff said they had moved from monthly to quarterly bond reports in off-season months to avoid repetitive updates, but they agreed to dig into the public posting history and provide more background on why schedule items shifted in posted reports.

Why it matters: McNeely said the pool is used not only by high-school teams but also by community groups, Mid Michigan Aquatics, middle-school teams, summer lessons and visiting meets, and she argued deferred repairs affect safety, competitive performance and community reputation.

Next steps: District staff said they will review bond-status postings, consult with architects and coaches about timing, and report back to the board with background on scheduling decisions. Robidec said planning is underway and that the district has not removed pool items from the bond project.