Community Education Government

City moves closer to aquatics program partnership — with a couple conditions

Contingent upon a local aquatics club’s satisfaction with the arrangement and slightly stronger liability protections, Gig Harbor City Council members appeared to indicate at an Oct. 29 study session that they support a four-party agreement for an aquatics program at Peninsula School District pools.

Under the agreement, the city would partner with the school district, Peninsula Metropolitan Parks District and Key Peninsula Parks to run an aquatics program at Peninsula School District pools starting in 2027. The agreement would renew annually, unless any party opts out 90 days before renewal. The school district would run programming, scheduling and hiring for the program, which would be held at the Peninsula and Gig Harbor high school pools.

People who live within the school district boundary would pay 60% of the district’s usual registration fee. Whichever jurisdiction the resident lives in — the city, PenMet or Key Peninsula Parks — would cover the remaining 40%. People who live outside the jurisdictions’ boundaries would pay the full rate.

Harbor Aquatics

PenMet Parks officials presented the idea to the council in June. At that meeting, staff from local aquatics club Harbor Aquatics voiced concern over displacement. The organization also uses school district pools.

Councilmember Le Rodenberg brought up those concerns at the Oct. 29 meeting and noted that nothing in the presented agreement protected the club’s time at the pools. He said that the council is “not in favor of displacing a minority-owned business [that has been] successful for five years.” He asked if staff had a plan to address the issue.

Parks Manager Jennifer Haro said that she and city communications manager Lori Maricle met with Harbor Aquatics, PenMet, the school district and another swimming club. She said the school district told Harbor Aquatics that they would have time at the pools.

“It might not be all of the time that they wanted, but because this will happen at the two pools, there should be enough space for them,” she said. She noted that she had not talked with Harbor Aquatics since that meeting, but “it went well, and they seemed happy with that.”

Rodenberg said he could not support the agreement unless Harbor Aquatics is on board. City Administrator Katrina Knutson said staff would follow up with the school district.

Liability

Councilmember Ben Coronado wondered whether the city could face legal liability if someone participating in the program sustains an injury.

Councilmember Reid Ekberg, who is president of Pilkey Hopping & Ekberg Insurance, said he believed any potential liability exposure was “very low.” But he asked staff to change the language of the agreement and seek a certificate of insurance from the school district that names the city as additionally insured on a primary basis. This means that, in the event of an accident, the district’s insurance would cover the city directly, without touching the city’s insurance.

Ekberg also added that he felt the insurance coverage limit was too low.

Staff said they would bring the tweaked agreement to council at a future regular Monday night council meeting.