The Greenbelt City Council met Wednesday January 22, for a worksession to discuss indoor pool deck repairs at the Greenbelt Aquatic & Fitness Center (GAFC) and to review its standing rules.
Pool Deck Repairs
City Manager Josué Salmerón, Director of Recreation Greg Varda and Director of Public Works Brian Kim presented the scope and impacts of the planned repairs to the indoor pool deck.
An ongoing issue of water seeping into the concrete has made it necessary to replace the pool deck. The work is projected to start on April 7 and be completed by September 29.
While the fitness wing will be open, the indoor pool and hot tub area will not be available during the construction. The outdoor pool will open in early May, pending approval from the Health Department. The hours for the outdoor pool will be Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Staying open past dusk may require the installation of underwater lights in the pool.
Weekend swim lessons and exercise classes will be held in the outdoor pool during the construction. GAFC is working out a plan with the Greenbelt Swim Team to accommodate their needs as much as possible. Summer camp swim lessons will not be offered.
Fewer lifeguards will be needed because of the construction, so not as many will be hired. But efforts will be made to retain all the lifeguards currently working.
Passholders may pause their membership during the work or receive a refund. Varda said the amount of revenue projected to be lost during the construction is estimated to be $40,000 to $50,000. The Recreation Department makes about 70 percent of its revenue between April and September, said Varda.
The pool deck repairs will be funded by Project Open Space. Councilmember Rodney Roberts questioned the use of these funds. Mayor Emmett Jordan noted that these funds had been used for recreational purposes by many other municipalities in Maryland. Salmerón noted that Project Open Space funds are no longer allocated to municipalities but must be applied for, out of a competitive fund. Using these outside Project Open Space funds allows American Rescue Plan Act money, which had originally been designated for the pool deck, to be used for other purposes.
A town hall to review the impacts of the pool deck repairs is to be held Thursday, January 30 at 7 p.m.
Standing Rules
Council is undertaking a review of its standing rules. Issues discussed included the behavioral expectations of councilmembers, limiting the length of council meetings and limiting public comments. Standing rules from other municipalities were considered and a copy of Berwyn Heights’ standing rules was included in the worksession packet. A subgroup of councilmembers agreed to summarize councilmember feedback and bring back suggested revisions to another council meeting.