Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Measure MM Aquatics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Community urges Monrovia Unified to use Measure MM funds to repair Monrovia High pool
Summary
Students, parents and community members asked the board to allocate Measure MM bond money — including a starting request of $5 million — to repair the failing Monrovia High pool, saying its closure harms student athletics, safety and retention; board members asked staff to explore funding options and interim access.
Scores of students, parents and community members told the Monrovia Unified School District Board of Education on Feb. 26 that the district should use Measure MM bond funds to repair the Monrovia High School pool.
"Fixing the pool is the right thing to do not just for us but for every student who comes after us," said Brooklyn Amily, a student who said she has swum competitively since age 7. Several speakers described cold water, broken pumps and safety issues that currently prevent the pool from meeting regulations and hosting competitive events.
Parent and community advocate Karen DeClue asked the board to "start this process by setting aside $5 million from your upcoming Measure MM draw," to direct the new project-management team to explore aquatic-center options, and to "commit on the record to providing pool space for our aquatics program until the new center is built." Michelle Sarapin, who spoke later, said a modern aquatic center could also generate revenue through meets, tournaments and rentals.
Board member Lockerby acknowledged the district’s broader facilities needs, noting the district’s facilities needs assessment identified roughly $345 million in needs and that Measure MM provides $75 million. "It would be financially irresponsible to spend this bond money on the aquatics upgrades" without exploring options, she said, but she asked staff and the project-management team to present feasible options and timelines.
Superintendent Dr. Hart Rus and staff told speakers they would follow up with information and that some updates have already been shared in prior briefings. Board members asked staff to return with possible approaches and a public timeline; one member estimated a three- to six-month window for a comprehensive set of options if staff and the new project manager work together.
Speakers warned that the pool’s absence affects student opportunity and district enrollment. Alex Monice, a parent and Arcadia Riptides board member, estimated that losing aquatics could reduce participation by dozens of students and said even a modest attrition in enrollment can affect per‑pupil funding.
What happens next: the board directed staff to work with the project-management team and report back publicly with options, a timeline and cost estimates. No formal allocation of Measure MM funds for the pool was approved at the meeting.
