Support The Pool by Voting Yes on the Levy Renewal in February of 2010

Good afternoon pool supporters.

I thought I would share my recent letter to the editor with you. The letter is posted on the Norht Kitsap Herald web site.

Community: Challenge to the North Kitsap CommunityOct 20 2009, 11:26 AM
The North Kitsap School District wants voters to renew its levy next February. It provides $13 million, or 20 percent of the district’s budget. This is not “extra” money; it’s not new money.
Sadly, renewal is not a slam dunk. The economy is tough and taxes unpopular. Also, there is tension between district leadership and some members of our community.
Eighteen months ago, rumors surfaced that the district would close the community pool. My kids are on the Piranha swim team, so the pool is important to my family. I fought to keep the pool open. Sometimes, I locked horns with district leaders, but we worked through it and now the pool is financially stronger than ever.
My story is a good example of working within the system, instead of throwing stones from outside. I didn’t feel the district was handling the pool appropriately. So I got involved. I am now on the Community Pool Advisory Committee and the Capital Finance Advisory Committee. Do I think all district decisions are right? Nope. But I also know that by getting involved, I am making a difference for my children.
I urge you to get involved—and to vote “yes” on the school levy.
Randy Borek
Poulsbo

Water Safety Scholarship

Water Safety Scholarship Fundraising Committee

Dear Friends of the Pool,

On the warm, sunny days of summer as we observe the waters surrounding our community or
hear the gleeful voices of neighborhood children splashing in their inflatable pools, we realize
how important it is that all our children learn to swim. Our NK Community Pool offers swim
lessons at various times, and many families take advantage of this valuable resource.
With the downturn in the economy, however, more families can’t afford the $50 expense of
swim lessons for one child, let alone two or three. Even in a good economy some families simply
don’t have the extra money for swim lessons.
We believe the North Kitsap community would like to help all our children learn to swim. To
help make that goal a reality, a Water Safety Scholarship fund has been established with the
North Kitsap Schools Foundation, for K-8 NKSD students in good academic standing
demonstrating financial need.
Please, will you help these students learn to swim? Thank you on behalf of our future swimmers.

Catherine & Renee

Catherine Ahl and Renee Arcement
Water Safety Scholarship Fundraising Committee

Yes, I want to help our children to learn to swim. Here is my tax-deductible donation of:
______ $50 (swim lessons for one child)
______$100 (swim lessons for two children)
______$150 (swim lessons for three children)
______ Other

Please return this form with your check made out to NK Schools Foundation, with “Water Safety
Scholarship” written in the Memo section, to:

North Kitsap Schools Foundation
Attn: Water Safety Scholarship Committee
P. O. Box 1236
Kingston, WA 98346

NKSD Levy

All,

The pool is in the best financial state it has ever been in, but there is another challenge at hand.

The NKSD has a levy coming up for renewal on the February 2010 ballot. This levy provides funding for approximately 20% of the districts budget.

The reality is, that if this levy fails the pool will close and the district will likley be forced to cancel all athletic programs and more.

The district and community is faced with a number of hot and controversial issues that have driven a wedge between many of us and the districts administration. I admittedly have many items on my list, but is failing the levy the way to express your frustrations?

I urge you all to find ways to get involved directly with district committees and volunteer opportunities. This is the best way to express your opinion and to help the districts administration to understand that the North Kitsap community wants to be heard and wants to be a part of the school districts future.

I have a big voice and I tend to speak on the hot issues, but I also get involved. I am a member of the Community Pool Advisory Committee, the Capital Finance Advisory Committee, I participated in the 2009-2010 public budget process, my wife and I aremember of the NKHS Athletic, the NKHS and PMS band boosters and my wife spends countless hours working with the schools my kids attend.

I simply do not believe that the correct way to express your frustrations is to vote no on the levy. It is not appropriate to punish our kids.

Please vote "YES" on the levy renewal and join the cause to assist in its passing.

Randy Borek

Pool Status 2009-2010

The North Kitsap School Board approved the 2009-2010 distruct budget. I am very happy to inform everyone that the budget includes funding for continued pool operations.

The work of the community and the Community Pool Advisory Committee (CPAC) has again shown the school board that the pool is important to us and it must not close.

CPAC meets regularly and will continue to work closely with district staff to increase pool revenues and further solidfy the future of our pool.

Pool Painting

The North Kitsap School Board will formally recognize the efforts of the volunteers that assisted with the painting of the pool interior.

This will occur at the school board meeting on Thursday, September 10th @ 7:00 pm.

These volunteers did a wonderful job and deserve our recognition and the recognition from the school district.

I will post a listing of the volunteers on this site on a later date. Please join me in recognizing them personally.

Randy Borek

Painting the Pool Interior

Volunteers needed

Our pool is getting a fresh coat of paint—in several yummy colors—and we need volunteers to help us paint. Here’s the scoop:
August 15, Saturday afternoon: clean the walls and etch (to prep for Sunday painting)
August 16, Sunday: paint, paint, paint

Ray at Peninsula Paint on Viking Ave is donating all the materials. He got Benjamin Moore to donate their top-of-the-line paint. Connie LaMont, interior designer and well-known colorist, has selected the colors. Best of all, Mike Dale of Big Valley Painting is the pro who will supervise all of us (and do the tricky spots). Mike has worked on “Extreme Makeover: Home Improvement” so this is a small project for him.

We need LOTS of people. Come dressed in cool, paint-worthy clothing—remember it’s toasty in the pool area. Only a small portion of the painting requires a ladder—you’ll be on solid ground for all your work.

Contact Jake at 598-1070 or email him above. He’ll have details for you. And thanks—I’ll see you there!



PS—Please pass this along to anyone else you think might be willing to help.

Pool Status

Hello all,

I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that my lack of updates on this website means the pool is open. We have been very active with pool operations and the pool is in the best shape it has ever been in.

The pool is open and will continue to be open for all to use.