Saratoga News

Principal of SHS tries for pool funds one more time

By Michelle Alaimo

Saratoga High School's principal, Kevin Skelly, is once again asking the City Council and the Parks and Recreation Department to consider pledging money toward replacing the school's pool. Skelly, whose request for $700,000 from the Parks and Recreation Department was turned down earlier this year, is now asking for $200,000 of the $900,000 necessary to build an Olympic-size pool.

Skelly said in a letter to the City Council that he is confident the school community will raise the additional $700,000 needed. So far, the school has received pledges totaling more than $300,000 from various individuals and organizations, including $100,000 from the SHS Athletic Booster Club.

Skelly cited several reasons, in two separate letters to the council, for why the Parks and Recreation Commission should donate $200,000 to help build the pool. Among those reasons is the enhancing of recreation department funds and programs. In one letter, Skelly stated, "With an outstanding pool as its cornerstone, I see no reason why the Saratoga Recreation Department could not build a summer program on our campus that would be a tremendous support for our parents, a source of employment for our youth, and a revenue source for the department of recreation."

He added that the pool would "be considered a fixed asset by the Parks and Recreation Department, with little or no ongoing costs." Skelly said that SHS would pay for the design, bidding and other costs for the pool's construction and that maintenance and utilities associated with the pool would be paid for by the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District.

However, Mayor Don Wolfe said the pool would add, to some extent, to the administrative costs of the Recreation Department because most likely at least one person would have to be hired to handle any new recreation programs associated with the pool. He added this is something that would need to be worked out in negotiations.

Skelly also wrote to the City Council that the pool could serve as another source of community building in Saratoga.

"A pool centrally located at SHS would add a lot to the community," Skelly said.

Wolfe did not disagree with Skelly. "Personally, as the mayor, I feel there is a natural synergy between the high school campus and the city itself.... If an arrangement can be worked out where all the citizens of Saratoga would be able to enjoy the pool, I would be all for it."

The request for the $200,000 was referred to the Parks and Recreation Commission at the City Council's Dec. 19 meeting. Wolfe said the item will remain on the Parks and Recreation Department agenda until a conclusion and recommendation are reached.

Skelly said he hopes the commission will pledge the full $200,000 toward the pool so that construction can begin as early as May. The principal is also asking for donations from parents in his annual appeal letter. In Skelly's letter, he also cited safety as a factor in the need for a new pool. He said the current pool is too shallow for students to dive safely and added that the pool is in high demand now that SHS has added a girls' water polo team.

Last year's annual appeal letter from Skelly raised some $125,000 for equipment, computers and supplies for science education at SHS.

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