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Delhi board delays decision on private swim-instruction proposal pending legal, staffing review
Summary
A Delhi swim instructor proposed an insured, sliding-scale private lesson program for high‑need swimmers; the town board praised the idea but declined a temporary trial and requested attorney guidance and operational rules before acting.
A Delhi swim instructor outlined a proposal to allow authorized private, 1:1 swim instruction at the town pool, and the town board agreed to review the idea after legal and operational questions are answered.
Rebecca, introduced by the board as the presenter, told the council her plan would provide "a safe, permanent, and legally compliant framework for authorized private swim instruction." She said her program would prioritize high‑anxiety swimmers, neurodivergent individuals, adult learners and toddlers, operate on a sliding fee scale and carry independent general liability insurance listing the town as an additional insured.
Board members asked detailed questions about scheduling, pool capacity and certification. Rebecca said she prefers lessons during open swim but that teaching outside open hours would require an additional lifeguard on deck, adding that "New York State said there has to be a lifeguard on deck" when lessons occur. Council members noted the pool capacity is 75 and raised concerns about disrupting existing town programming like swim lessons and water aerobics.
The board rejected a requester’s suggestion of a short trial period "until the next meeting in August," with the chair saying, "I'm a no on a temporary thing," because no legal guidance had yet been provided and because staff capacity and enforcement protocols are not in place. Members stressed the need for clear rules on background checks, certifications (lifeguard and WSI), who verifies insurance and how scheduling and cancellations would be handled.
Chair said the town attorney had already flagged liability and operational issues and the board will wait for that guidance before taking any formal action; the chair invited Rebecca to provide materials for absent members and offered to have the presentation revisited in August or September. "If we don't have the recreation—who's the recreation director?" the chair asked, emphasizing the need for designated staff or a recreation department to manage commercial uses of town property.
The board did not vote on any policy or permitting framework during the meeting. Next steps: the attorney will be asked for written guidance and the board will revisit the proposal once staff and legal issues are clarified.
