Recent history of John Vanderzeicht Memorial Pool’s board of directors (North Whidbey Parks & Recreation District) makes me suppose that it is not devoted to the prospering of this highly regarded, heavily utilized facility.

The low pay of employees is resulting in the loss of a swim instructor, masters’ coach and manager, who plans to depart for Wisconsin. She is a college graduate in physical education and sports. Her loss will be substantial. Why not increase her extremely low wages to keep her? The employee pay structure needs review, rather than giving away money to non-aquatic entities and private organizations.

In the campaign for the tax levy, a committee was formed and financially supported by taxpayers and pool users to promote the levy that was needed for long-deferred pool maintenance and pool upgrade improvements. Noted is the fact that none of the unhappy current board members except the chairman helped or supported this campaign.

Priorities indicate that approximately $ 500,000 in deferred maintenance plans should be a priority program before giving taxpayers’ money away to money-losing, supposedly tax free organizations. Such organizations do not benefit from governmental oversight to assure good management and operations.

Mention has been made that more persons would benefit if money were used for non-aquatic purposes. But Oak Harbor High School swim team and many other school groups benefit from the pool. Senior citizens and those under a doctor’s care make extensive use and are benefited not only by the facility but by the health programs provided by dedicated processionals. Water safety and Red Cross programs are a part of its regularly scheduled programs. The hydro pool for health users, seniors and the handicapped is practical and replaces two inferior ones, by the current director and others. Public safety and water programs for public safety groups constantly going on, meet the needs of the pool district. There are children’s classes and other children and family activities at the pool.

The tax levy was passed by the voters before many of the current board members were in office. None of them participate in pool activities or use the pool even to this day. They are a curious group of people who in my opinion seem to be malcontents where the pool is concerned.

Perhaps you have noted that many public pools in Western Washington are in serious financial jeopardy due to the money shortage. It is to the credit of our pool users and others who worked on the tax levy that this pool is thus far well financed and can accomplish its social and public purposes if it is not impoverished by current board members.

In the levy campaign and ensuing election, no mention was made for using $ $20,000 or $ 30,000 in pool funds for non-aquatic and money-losing organizations. It clearly stated that the funds were needed for pool deferred maintenance and upgrades. The Voters Guide in that election made this abundantly clear. If the unhappy board members choose to disregard the information given to the public and taxpayers in this election, Harvey Prosser, chairman, is right. Why would taxpayers trust the pool management again if there were a need for another levy of taxes?

There will be future elections of board members, and I, as a member of the tax paying public and user of the pool, hope that some members of the public with experience in board or athletic organization management will volunteer to run. I assure you that they will get enthusiastic support. But of equal importance is active participation of the investigative powers of the Whidbey-Times.

There is no provision for a government oversight body to watch this organization, leaving it up to the taxpayers, such as myself. That is why The Whidbey News-Times needs to investigate the board of directors. It needs to expose weaknesses and needed improvements in the pool’s management organization.

What is really sad is the neglect of pool employee compensation and loss of highly qualified pool employees, but then these board members hardly care about that. They seem less interested in the pool than in its accumulated funds.

Dick Bund is a retired Air Force colonel. An 18-year resident of Whidbey Island, he has belonged to a pool users’ group for 10 years.