Decatur Parent: McKoy Pool is “Gross”
Decatur Metro | June 20, 2011Christine writes in…
Have you been to the McKoy Pool lately?? I mean, I love that place – it’s convenient and my two little kids adore the zero entry – but it’s gross. Band-aids floating by, cloudy water that helpfully hides the branches and dirt in the bottom, and don’t get me started on the muddy “lawn” area.
Is this just what it’s going to be like? Should I just suck it up because it’s a great pool for little kids? I already mandate showers at home immediately afterward. I’m dying to know if anyone else has similar thoughts or ideas to ask the city to clean it up.
I wonder if it has to do with the plumbing problems that it experienced a few weeks ago. I’m not implying sewage. (Yech!) But maybe the pool filter isn’t working properly?
McKoy Pool: Kids are “gross”
Ha!
On the HGTV Season Premiere of “If Pools Could Talk”
We were there a few days after the reported plumbing problem and the fire alarm for the pump room out back went off about three or four times within a couple of hours. Not sure if the two are related but evidently there are some mechanical/electrical issues at play. We still bring our kids there, though, and haven’t been grossed out yet. With that many kids in there, the occasional stray band-aid really isn’t surprising. I just try not to swallow them
That’s sad – it is a great pool and I was looking forwarding to using it a lot this summer!
We go all the time and I haven’t had any of those issues. My neighbor goes every single day and he hasn’t reported anything…. bad timing maybe?
WORD.
Maybe this post will keep the crowds away!!
I’ve never liked McKoy pool because of the water squirts. Kids sit on them, turning them into instant bidets. The staff is rude, too. Harumph.
The kids sit on them? That must be educational.
As you all know, McKoy is an extremely popular pool for the youngest children in Decatur. We experience periods of extremely heavy bather loads throughout day. Since the average pool user at McKoy Pool is under 10 years of age, keeping the pool clear of band aids (which aren’t supposed to enter the pool in the first place) and keeping the water crystal clear (a challenge due to the large amount of sunscreen that young kids wear) has been a daunting task. Furthermore, keeping the bottom of the pool clear of debris when the pool is surrounded by grass and trees is even more of a challenge. I have shared your concerns with Dynamo Pool Management and we will do everything we can to keep the pool looking as beautiful as possible. The plumbing concerns have all been addressed and I can assure you that even when the water is cloudy the chemical content is being tested every hour and the water is as safe as any pool in the country. I enjoy hearing your concerns, but hopefully we can keep them realistic. I would love to shut the pool down in the middle of the day to skim the surface of the water, vacuum the bottom of the pool, blow the deck, and allow the grass time to drain, but that would probably cause even more complaints. If you have any suggestions on what i can do to serve you better or raise your level of satisfaction, I am always open to hearing them. Thank You.
Jabari is an excellent aquatics director and the most responsive city employee I have ever encountered.
Jabari,
Can you do something about the lack of response when the pool alarm goes off? I live behind the pool and the alarm goes off often and nobody responds. 3 weeks ago I called the decatur non emergency line when the alarm went off and was impressed with the quick response by the police, fire and city. However, why is it that nobody is automatically called when the alarm goes off? The neighbors around the pool would greatly appreciate some improvement in this process.
Thank you!
Elizabeth
Thanks, Jabari. Last year, Glenlake was a bit of a mess as well. I am sure you remember the problem with the nasty skim on the tiles and dirt increasing in the deep end as the weeks passed. I do like the lifeguards from Dynamo much better than the company Decatur previously used, but Dynamo needs to improve the cleanliness of the pools. Thanks for talking to them about these issues!
You should launch a contest to see who can write the best song about keeping the pool clean and safe. Decatur does this for the artistic poster for the book festival. Why not another form of art for its pools? And then have a few lifeguards sing and clap the winning song as the person in charge of testing pH and chlorine/bromine levels, similar to how restaurants sing your birthday as they bring out your dessert… The song can begin teaching kids about water chemistry, and keeps patrons aware that professional management is happening. You could even put up a posterboard with the records of pH levels. Low cost. Fun. Not a huge drain on management’s time to organize and deploy. Hey, with all these kids running around, YOU KNOW WE’VE GOT SOME FUTURE SCIENTISTS IN THERE.
Wow – what a great response!
Thanks to all for the feedback in regards to the pool(s). We have had some mechcanical issues at McKoy this season (pool related and non pool realted) and have worked diligently to resolve them. When the staff opened up McKoy this morning, the pump was off so the water was not as clear as we want (as it had not been circulating overnight). However, the staff got it running asap and the chemicals were in acceptable ranges prior to opening. It may take a few days for the clairity to come back to normal, but we will continue to monitor and make adjustments as needed. Thanks again-the feedback is appreciated.
Jabari rocks!!!
Jabari… a quick suggestion to try and save the grass that turns to mud and attracts bees and Mosquitos would be to install a linear drain along the edge of the concrete. all day water from the pool runs off into the grass killing it. if u can collect that in some way and move it away from the grass it would probably help a few problems. lots of mud and grass enter the pool on people’s feet. and the bugs were a problem there the last time we visited.
I also noticed that there are moquitos pouring out of the drain which is in the southwest corner of the concrete by the lane marker. with the lane marker piled on top of that drain I think more standing water and a better breeding ground for moquitos is created. as a lap swimmer I’d love to see the lane line used more often. perhaps it could be in place until pool capacity reaches it’s peak each day.
and my final recommendation would be more frequent squeegeeing of the bathrooms… all that sunscreen which clouds the water makes the floors in the bathrooms really slippery. it would not be overkill to have the staff clean the floors several times a day.
thanks. I do appreciate your response to this forum, Jabari, and feel at least that our concerns have been heard.
Mmm. Baby Ruth.
Swim…diaper…rupture
YUCK!
Jabari and Dynamo Pool, great responses and appreciate your attention to the feedback, keep up the good work….
I understand how hard it is to keep the pool spotless.
My issue is with allowing unsupervised kids into the pool. I have seen many kids with an older sibling at the pool with no parents. This rule must be enforced. The lifeguards & staff are not babysitters.
There’s actually a rule that kids must be accompanied by their parents to use the pool? Doesn’t that mean the pool is unavailable to kids whose parents work and can’t go stay there with them? That doesn’t seem fair. Anyway, I’ve always thought the lifeguards and staff at public pools are precisely glorified baby-sitters. I was a teenaged lifeguard and swimming instructor at the local municipal pool, and we always understood the job consisted of (1) don’t let anybody drown, (2) don’t let anybody hurt each other or themselves, (3) keep the place clean enough to keep the boss happy, and (3) don’t let our friends eat out of the concession stand without paying. It was actually much easier to keep peace and enforce safety rules when parents were NOT present, as they tended to interfere and undermine us. Since we had ultimate responsibility for the drowning prevention part, it really worked out best when our word was law about anything and everything. The pool at McKoy Park, in particular, is designed in such a way that practically nobody but little kids can enjoy it. Why not let ‘em?
@smalltowngal –
The posted sign at the pool states very clearly that “All children must be accompanied by an adult”
So the excuse is that the working parent needs a $3 a day babysitter and somehow the pool is supposed to provide this. Give me a break! My biggest problem at any pool has been when 10-12 year olds are unsupervised and feel they can do whatever they want. This pool is designed for younger kids and I don’t need to worry about keeping an eye out for someone elses kids.
If working parents need a place for their kids they can join a day camp
The pool is supposed to provide a safe recreational environment for people of all ages. Those who are too little to swim should be accompanied by a parent or someone responsible such as a babysitter or an older sibling. Those who know how to swim should also know they’re expected to follow rules and obey the lifeguards, and should not need to be shadowed by a parent, but that is the Rec’s call. The lifeguards should be the absolute tyrants of the pool, whose word is law to everyone on the premises. Responsibilities of the lifeguards and other staff should include the latitude to enforce behavior that maintains safety, hence the inclusion of “baby sitting” in my partly tongue-in-cheek comment. My personal experience as a WSI and lifeguard in my late teens was that enforcing discipline and maintaining safety was much easier when parents weren’t hanging around. Even when parents don’t actively intervene or interfere, most kids are more likely to cooperate and behave when they’re on their own, having the opportunity to feel independent and responsible. We are fortunate that we can afford to have these nice pools scattered around town. McKoy, especially, is embedded deep in the residential neighborhood making it safe for kids to get there on their own.
It’s a sad fact that the McKoy pool is designed in a way that invites everybody into the same pool regardless of age, size and swimming ability; makes enjoyment of the pool very limited for anybody who can swim at all; and encourages people with babies and toddlers to think they rule. They don’t. Most of the people our pools should be serving are older than 3 and know how to swim. Believe me, when your toddler is 10 and a strong, capable swimmer, you are NOT going want to chaperone all of their pool time, nor should you be expected to do so.
McKoy is designed for young children. Period. I don’t think older kids need to be there. They can go to Glenlake. When my kids are strong swimmers and are 10 they won’t want to swim at McKoy. It’s a baby pool.
I really appreciate the purposeful design and think toddlers should “rule.” What’s wrong with that?
i think many people forget about ebster pool as an option for older kids or even younger kids who are strong swimmers. my husband used to bring my boys over there and be the only ones there on a saturday afternoon. it even has a diving board!
Older kids had probably rather swim at Glenlake or Ebster. But I think there is probably a window of a couple of years when a kid who lives in Oakhurst is old enough to bike to McKoy pool on his own but maybe not all the way over to Ebster or Glenlake. If kids live near McKoy and lack transportation to one of the others, or for whatever reason find themselves at McKoy, they should be welcome to swim there if they behave and obey the lifeguards. I’m not parent (which makes it reasonable to ask why I get into these debates), but if I had 3rd, 4th or 5th grader who could get to McKoy on her bike without crossing College or Candler, then I’d encourage that for at least some of her pool time, even though the pool itself is less challenging and fun than the bigger ones.
Key comment here is “you are not a parent” enuff said..
Do you mean that because I am not a parent, I am not entitled to an opinion on this topic?
STG – I think your comments and opinions are perfectly valid and quite reasonable, so not sure why you’re getting this hostile feedback….
Interesting how the design of the pool suggests to some folks that it’s the domain of the toddlers/parents. I’m certain that contrary to what PP suggests, the intent was never for it to be a kiddie pool. The intent was to be as inclusive as possible, which is why the lap lanes on one end (and the stability bar near the steps, if I’m not mistaken).
Sure seems that way, doesn’t it? These comments probably come from the same parents who smugly believe that no one can possibly “understand” anything pertaining to kids unless they, too, have procreated…they’re also likely the parents who look askance at anyone who would rather not be subjected to their little darlings’ screeches in restaurants. So, consider the source, stg, and keep on truckin’ babe, ’cause you’re right on!
Maybe not “understand” but having recently joined the ‘rents mob, there’s definitely a new level of sympathy that’s almost inevitable.
Kids do weird things to your brain, deep down in its neanderthal core that you have no control over. Sometimes it’s obvious enough that even the outer reaches of the rational brain notices it.
I know your referencing something completely different, but still…I digress…
Actually responding to DM:
“Kids do weird things to your brain, deep down in its neanderthal core that you have no control over.” — That’s why you should make room for the possibility that the rest of us–those not actively rearing offspring– can offer valuable perspectives!
DM, I totally get where you’re coming from. I’ve got two sisters, a sister-in-law, and a brother-in-law who’ve all had little ones over the past 22-odd years, and I’ve seen it first-hand. Such a mindset, to a degree, can even rub off on aunts & uncles who’re otherwise child-free (yes, hard to imagine, innit?). But I guess my main point is that when we non-childed folk comment along these lines, it isn’t because we don’t get it, or can’t possibly empathize (I may be the only person I know who feels sympathy instead of resentment for parents whose kids act out on planes, ’cause they’re as stuck as the rest of us). It’s that we get a little tired of the 2nd-class citizen status we seem to occupy in the eyes/minds of the childed, who appear inclined to believe that by mere rote of their status as parents, they’re entitled to “understanding” when others (especially the child-free) must endure discourtesy and/or inconsideration because of their offspring’s behaviour, and if they don’t receive said understanding, it’s because we’re selfish, child-hating ogres. It’s not persecution, it’s just a simple matter of expecting some common courtesy– if a child is too young to exercise it on his own, then his parents shouldn’t feel attacked because others expect them to exercise it for him. You dig?
And stg, once again: WORD.
Yep. Again, I was just mostly rambling and trying to garner a little sympathy for the opinionated procreaters out there.
However, since I’m now involved: I think most everyone would look at your sentence of “It’s not persecution, it’s just a simple matter of expecting some common courtesy– if a child is too young to exercise it on his own, then his parents shouldn’t feel attacked because others expect them to exercise it for him.” and say “Absolutely!”
The gray area – that leads to conflict and endless blog discussions – is what’s the definition of “common courtesy” The additional pressures and stresses that parent is under compared to the non-childed onlooker, will guarantee that their definitions will be different. No? Or is it the same regardless? And if so, who determines it. Sorta hard to dig, IMO.
P.S. Hopefully you know that I respect and actively search out opinions different from my own, and try my hardest not to delegate others with different backgrounds and opinions to ’2nd-class citizen status’. Also I agree with STG’s statement above wholeheartedly.
Geez, if you’re going to be that way, I really, truly wish that all children who are not 100% potty trained and 5 or older be excluded from public pools. I’m a little over the poop pool closings. Kids under 5 are just as happy in your kiddy pool at home as they are in a public pool. Do the public a service and keep them there.
I don’t really believe the above.. but I’m making a point because it seems like the toddler parents could be a little more accommodating since those of us who actually use toilets are pretty tolerant of them. Toddler parenthood is very fleeting, and the attitudes of the some of their parents make me think they must all be royalty.
And… no…….toddler parents….. I don’t enjoy listening to your screaming toddler in the restaurant you take him to to recharge his bowels after he poops in the pool. Please discipline him or remove him. I raised three toddlers, and it’s inconvenient at times to have to just take them out of a restaurant…. but it’s very doable.
Dang, sarahph, better be careful, or you might just find yourself nominated as the role model for commonsense parenting!
Here’s what the website says:
“Parents are encouraged to accompany their children to the pool and to supervise them closely while in the water. They are also asked to discuss pool safety rules with their children and to encourage respect for pool rules and pool staff. ”
http://www.decaturga.com/index.aspx?page=179
We go to McKoy 2-3 times a week and although there is the occasional band-aid, bug, or leaf floating in the water, it truly is a blessing to have such a kid-friendly pool in Decatur. My 3 1/2 year old LOVES that pool and I love it too. Are there things I would change? Sure…I would love more shade, less grass (which as some said ends up in the pool anyway), and for parents/guardians to have better control of unruly kids, but it’s really a great place to spend the hot summer days.
Oh, and if you ask the staff to clean something up, they probably will. One day we got there and the white part of the zero entry had a bunch of debris, and when I asked them if they would clean it up so the babies wouldn’t eat all the leaves and whatnot, one of the staff immediately came out with a broom to sweep it up.
Jabari, I want to commend the lifeguard staff that was on duty today…they all seemed friendlier than other days…there was one young African American gal there today who was great. Even when she was yelling “WALK!” It was “Walk, PLEASE.”
Also, what is the rule for ratio of kids to caregivers? There was a group of about 10 kids from a local school’s camp there today with ONE lady as their caregiver…she sat in the shade most of the time looking at a magazine while the 3-5 (I think) year olds were all over the pool. It just makes me nervous to see one person in charge of that many little ones.
Thanks!!!
I will attempt to address all of the concerns above. Forgive me if i miss one. I can be reached directly at 404-406-5241. If the pool alarm goes off at night (or any other legitimate reason)you may call me and I’ll do my best to get it turned off in a timely manner. The issue a few weeks ago revolved around a pipe bursting in the pool room. The fire department was dispatched to shut off the alarm and the owner of Dynamo Pool Management met me at the pool house (around 11:00pm) to fix the pipe.
The tile at Glenlake was an issue last year and was brought to my attention many times. It was an expensive venture, but you will notice that lots of the tile at Glenlake was actually replaced over the off season. I definitely listen to all complaints and concerns and even though sometimes things can’t be fixed immediately, they will be fixed eventually. I will talk to Dynamo about the bathroom cleaning schedule to see if there is anything that we can do about making the cleanings more frequent throughout the day. I have to admit that I think they do a great job for the most part.
A drain for the grass is a great idea. We will look into it. Meanwhile, the McKoy pool deck and the woodsy area around it will be sprayed for mosquitos. This has been scheduled to occur in the coming week.
The minimum age for an unsupervised child to come to the pool is 12. However, discerning some 12 year olds from 10 and 11 year olds can be tough since they do not have identification. My philosophy is that it is better for children to have a safe place to go to (where there is some adult supervision) than to be out wondering around on the streets. Since we charge 14 year olds as adults, we allow 14 year olds to supervise younger children with no more than a 1-5 ratio. There are many parents that do not agree with children going unsupervised for any length of time, but reality is that some parents are ok with their children roaming around the city unsupervised. From a public service standpoint, admitting an unsupervised 12 year old (or a child who says they are 12) or admitting a 14 year old who is supervising his younger siblings is better than turning those children away and having them go out and get hurt or get into trouble.
Our normal adult to child ratio is 1:10, but if there are children younger than 6 in the group, the ratio is 1:6. I will make sure that my front desk staff is reminded of these rules because I never want a situation where one adult is supervising 10 3-5 year olds. I hope i’ve addressed all of your concerns. Feel free to let me know if there are any more.
Jabari++
Taking community service to the next level
+1…Jabari, have you considered running for office in Decatur? Got my vote!
Mine too!
Jabari – You are awesome!
Wish all of our community service people could follow your fine example
McKoy Pool rocks! Me thinks you had bad luck…I was there this morning and found it very clean…
so how many of us are complaining online, but have not brought this to the attention to the parks and recreation folks. they test it multiple times a day, an obvious way of finding out how safe the pool is. if you see a problem, alert them.
Dang, I didn’t realize I could send my kids to the pool without a parent until I read Rob’s complaint. I’ll be sending them on their own tomorrow! Awesome!
Thanks Jabari for all of your hard work in making our pools the best they can be!
We (usually) love McKoy pool, but I was wondering (and I’m sure it’s posted at the entrance) what is the capacity of the pool? We’ve been there many times when it’s been so crowded that it’s bacially a wading pool w/ absolutley no place for the kids to even swim. When it’s that crowded I would rather pack up and leave, but do you know how hard it is to tell 3 kids it’s time to leave the pool after you just got there?!?
I’m so glad that as a mom of a 6, 5 and 3 year old, I have a safe place to take the kids to the pool. I guess when our youngest is a little older we can “graduate” to Glenlake.
Decaturmomof3, Glenlake is safe for your three-year-old now. It’s only two feet deep in the shallow end. I used to take my babies and young toddlers there all the time (they are big now) with no problem other than the occasional splashing.
Frankly, having visited McKoy a couple of times… I’d say that when it’s crowded, your youngest is actually safer at Glenlake. I don’t think McKoy is even safe for my older kids most days so we stay away.
I still don’t really get why McKoy was designed the way it was. I know that there needs to be a place for the little kids, and the zero depth entry is a nice feature for them and was a great idea. However, if the deep part had been made larger, it would have provided more space for older kids so they’d be out of the little kids’ way. McKoy Park serves a wide age range with its playground, skate park, day camp and baseball field. It’s a shame that the pool only caters to a small subset of the kids who are drawn to the park at large. The design is very shortsighted IMO. I hear that the vision for the pool originated from parents of babies and toddlers, but I don’t know if that’s true. They are probably all parents of older kids now, so I wonder if they still think it was a good idea to create such a cramped situation.
Anyone know the history of the design of that pool? Why so small?
Demonstrating some “Old Decatur” behavior (see June 22 thread), I can’t help mentioning that I remember when McKoy Pool was just an empty closed abandoned pool.
The thing about Decatur is someone will always come along who claims an Older pedigree than yours….I remember when the pool at McKoy was open and lively, a relatively big pool where people of all ages and swimming abilities could have fun. Indeed, it was old and rundown and leaky, which is why they had to close it for a couple of years while they assembled the funds to rebuild.
Mr. Fixit, many folks were deeply disappointed with the current design, including at least one I know of who had served on the citizen task force that worked hard over about two years soliciting community input and exploring alternative designs. Like you, I would be very curious to know if whoever pushed for this baby-centric design still thinks it was the best option. (I can only imagine the kerfluffle that would ensue if somebody proposed using that much public money on a facility that catered to some other, very narrow segment of the community, for instance, adults with no children who only want to do platform diving and synchronized swimming.)
And before that, an always empty, freezing cold (in July – because of having to refill leaking water), often closed pool…
I know someone who was on the committee that came up with the recommended pool design. What I heard was that the McCoy Park pool follows the old saying – “a camel is a horse that was designed by committee”.
Actually Glenlake’s shallow end is 1 1/2 feet deep–shallow enough for even the littlest babies to touch the ground with their feet, and for parents to sit in the shallow end and keep a hand on their babies while they travel back and forth, from one end to another, holding on to the side. Endlessly. Such a great way for immobile babies to discover some mobility! Only complaint is that it’s kind of hard to get in and out when you’re 9 months pregnant, with no steps. But doable!
@smalltowngal – if you don’t have kids or use the pool then your opinion carries 0 weight.
Those of us with children & who use the pool understand the trouble of non-supervised 10 year olds taking over the pool. Do you use the pool? If not why are you even weighing in?
Rob, I don’t use the pool at McKoy on a regular basis for several reasons, including (1) it’s too crowded because it’s too small to accommodate the constituencies it should serve, and (2) I’m not interested in sharing the water with children who are not potty-trained. If that means my opinion is not valid, then I’d like a refund, please, of whatever portion of my tax bill supports the pool and every other facility in town that I don’t personally use on a regular basis. It’s been said before but bears repeating: Decatur would not be nearly the wonderful place it is, without so many of us childless folks paying through the nose to support facilities we rarely, if ever, use ourselves. If the pool seems crowded now, just imagine if everybody who’s helping to pay for it tried to actually use it?
If these “unsupervised 10 year olds” who are plaguing you so are behaving in a way that’s unsafe and the lifeguards aren’t controlling the situation, that’s one thing. But if they’re just getting on your nerves because they’re rowdy…that’s what life is like at a public pool.
Final Score:
Rob: 0
Smalltowngal: 1
@smalltowngal – My apologies, you are correct
Thanks, Rob. I’m assuming that you accompany a very young offspring to the pool. I haven’t reared one myself, but I get that one’s own duckling can evoke incredible protectiveness when you’re introducing him/her to the aquatic environment, where he/she seems excruciatingly vulnerable. I also get–having been one myself and having been responsible for a pool full of them on a daily basis as a WSI– that even generally benign 10 year-olds can seem obnoxious beyond endurance in that situation. Your duckling will be one of those 10-year olds before you know it. I hope she/he will be a strong and joyful swimmer, rowdy as heck, comfortable and safe in the water, making the most of the City Rec system where everybody comes together and learns to get along, and forcing the newest parents–perhaps against their first impulses but with the help of their better angels–to help their own little ones learn to take a deep breath and strike out for the other side of the pool.
She lives here and therefore has the right. Beginning and end.
This is second hand, but the person I know who was on the Mckoy Pool Committee was so disappointed when it was built that they have never used it. Those community members spent a lot of time trying to get the right facility. After all the input was given, I heard that a new person came on board at the city who dumped all the work of the committee and picked the cheapest design.
As for the zero entry, one of the main ideas was to provide one pool in Decatur for our mobility-impaired neighbors, many of whom live near McKoy.
On the subject of adult supervision, the pools I know of have a rule that children 12 and under cannot attend without an adult. Seems like that rule was not around until relatively recently. Insurance liability?
I agree, Jabari is great. Jabari, could we please get some hooks around all of the showers so we can hang our towels/wet suits while showering? I keep asking staff about this, but haven’t noticed any hooks. Sure would be an easy improvement. Thanks!
From what I remember (having attended a couple of the meetings about the pool) they actually took all of the recomendations of the Pool Committee into account and that is why you’ve got the weird pool you’ve got. There needed to be a graded entry for kids and the disabled. There needed to be a lap pool lane, etc.
I think the problem is that it tried to be all things to all people and in the end it appeals to no one except for little kids. It is way too small to be all things to all people.
A shame we blew like $2 million on it.
… “a camel is a horse that was designed by committee”.
Exactly why a committee can mess up a bell schedule.
LOL. Most blatant and most concise thread-jack I’ve ever seen. (And I agree.)
Blatant? Now that’s a term never used to describe me – HA
stg: +1
It was pretty darn excellent
LOL! Stg, you are on FIRE today, baybee!
I’ll bite. There’s a difference between something designed by a committee and something thoughtfully designed that is responsive to stakeholder input.
What’s the difference?
IMHO “designed by committee” implies that every member of some group gets their idea/suggestion incorporated whether or not the final product makes any sense–i.e. a mish-mosh. An ideal process would be for a work group to obtain systematic feedback from as many stakeholders as possible, using an iterative process that allows for two-way dialogue and refinement of the product/policy/program, and then thoughtfully and skillfully (so one needs some expertise on the work group as well as stakeholder representation) designs a product that is as responsive as possible to the community (and 100% is never feasible) as well as cost-effective.
By the way, I wrote this response in five minutes and am an amateur; there’s folks that have degrees in this type of thing. Just trying to clarify what I meant.
… “designed by committee” implies that every member of some group gets their idea/suggestion incorporated …
In the simple setting of a classroom when lessons are conducted “by committee” aka group work, how many parent/student complaints are voiced or just thought along the lines of “He’s (I’m) doing all the work and we get the same grade.” (Do I need a ? here?)
But with the history shared it does sound like the design plan may have been sabotaged or at the least modified after the committee plan was submitted.
The pool is what we have and sounds like Jabari Cole will aggressively make improvements, even those that require finding money to complete. I say let the administration roll with this ball.
By the way, some of the posts above seem to suggest that the problem with the McCoy Pool design (if there is one) isn’t that a committee worked on giving input but that the input was not used by the new staffperson. Whether or not that’s true, I cannot say since I am New Decatur when it comes to this particular issue.
Exactly. Thankfully we trusted the administration to do it’s job, rather than open up every operational decision to mob rule.
Let the eat cake!
Speaking of cake, has anyone had Piece of Cake’s key lime cake yet? It’s all I can think about right now!
I love this place but boy is their parking tough. And their hours are a little tough for working folks to make. I really miss their frozen prepared food items. It sounds like there was some food inspection agency issue and they are not coming back. I sure hope this place does well. I don’t know why, but my last few times there, I’ve had the sense that things weren’t as rosy as a year ago.