HomeMy WebLinkAbout041425 - Public Comment re Pool Gtt6W cotir* -
Hello I'm Zory Hill. I've been working as a lifeguard and water
aerobics instructor at the Olympic Peninsula YMCA since
August 2022. My quick backstory because it's all reka
today. APR 1 4 2025
1976, Silicon Valley, ca. Santa Clara swim club had just been made famous by gffitgelatifftMark
Spitz. I was 11, my sister 9 years old. My mother recently divorced, going into the workforce for
the first time. What to do with the kids? We lived 17 miles away, so my little sister and I took the
public bus after elementary school, using three bus transfers to get to Santa Clara Swim Club.
There was a library right next-door to the pool so we could rest , do our homework, converse with
friends, eat a snack then do a 2-3 hr swim practice, after which our mom could pick us up at 6 PM.
It was a positive solution to child care while my sister and I learned the value of individual hard
work, and perseverance.
I had my choice to accept a full ride scholarship to Brown, Columbia, Cornell, and University of
Oregon. FREE College!!
As you can see in our community, we have many children that need something to do. With our kids
using screens and social media as childcare, we need to give them an opportunity for health and
fitness, and the leadership skills that are built through swimming programs.
Here are my solutions to expedite the construction of a new
pool facility.
1 . Stop stalling. You've all read the most recent survey and you can see that we need a pool
immediately. If you haven't toured the current condition of the 60+ year old Mountain View
pool, I invite you to do that immediately.
2. This must be a collaborative effort.
3. Jefferson Transit can provide free bus rides that drop off right in front of the new pool
facility.
4. Chimicum and Port Townsend school districts can commit to bussing students after school
to the new-pool facility.
5. The Jefferson County Library welcomes students to do homework and rest.
6. The food bank provides free snacks so the children are Nourished, ready for a 1-3 hr swim
practice.
7. Regarding funding:
8. I propose a Tri-County YMCA, consisting of Pierce, Kitsap and Jefferson county.
9. Currently Pierce and Kitsap YMCA's have a coalition. They are building brand new pools in
Tacoma and Poulsbo. The money is there. The facilities at Pierce and Kitsap County are top-
of-the-line, well staffed, clean and and offermany classes. In fact, when our members leave
Jefferson County for YMCA classes, this is where they head to.
10. We can tap into it and be an extension satellite of Pierce Kitsap County with Jefferson
County.
11. Next, go talk to the millionaires. I go to the YMCA in every city I visit, and I find they are
sponsored by big name philanthropy, Paul G Allan, Weyerhaeuser group etc. Talk to local
owners of U-Haul and Curtis Trailer. Talk to Mackenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos ex wife, she gives
grants of $250,000 that I'm sure the YMCA qualifies for in some way.
12. The special transportation funding district just made $745,000 with a .2% tax. we can have
a .1-2% special pool funding sales tax,funded equally by tourists and residents of Jefferson
county.
13. Talk to Keith Williams, Executive Director of Olympic Peninsula YMCA. He's built pools all
over America. He's here right now in Jefferson County. Somebody go talk to him please.
14. Have a fundraising people's pledge thermometer at the front desk. I,Zory Hill, pledge to
donate $1,000 toward the completion of the new Tri County YMCA.
15. It's time WE paid it forward to the next generations for 60 years. Have the courage to build it
they'll always be a reason not to build it. be the change you wanna see in this county.
It took Towne point 40 years to get a playground built for the kiddos but we did it two years ago!
We can build a TRI County YMCA facility.
Faithfully submitted,
Zory Hill