Dormont Council on Monday discussed potential companies to manage Dormont Pool for the 2022 season.
Jeff Ellis Management, which managed Dormont Pool last year, will not be returning for the 2022 season. At a meeting earlier this year, borough manager Ben Estell said it was not an acrimonious split but purely a business issue as Jeff Ellis Management had been having a difficult time meeting the demands of all of its contracts.
Beth Bachman, community events coordinator for Dormont, presented two proposals to council at the meeting.
USA Pools’ proposal to manage the pool for 2022 was for approximately $160,650 and included opening the pool on Memorial Day and running through Labor Day. The pool hours would be noon to 8 p.m. daily with the exception of when school is in session. When school is in session, the pool would be open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays.
The proposal included 11 staffers to run the pool.
Pool equipment was not included in USA Pools’ proposal. If the borough purchased the equipment, that would add another $7,000 to the cost.
American Pools’ proposal came in at $225,000 with the same hours and staffing numbers. The proposal did include all pool equipment.
Council president Jeff Fabus asked Ms. Bachman if she was comfortable with USA Pools, and Ms. Bachman said she was.
“There’s a $55,000 difference between these two, and even with the equipment of $7,000, we’re still looking at a $48,000 difference,” said council member Daniele Ventresca. “Based on that, I think the most responsible would be USA Pools,” she said.
Mr. Estell said if council was comfortable with USA Pools’ lower-cost proposal, he recommended a one-year agreement, which he said will be on council’s agenda for a vote at its next meeting, Dec. 6.
He said he was recommending the one-year agreement to make sure everything goes well with the pool next year, and if it does, then council could look into a three-year agreement after that.
Deana Carpenter, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.
First Published: November 2, 2021, 7:27 p.m.
