Annual Pool Update
2023 Letter from the Board (November 3, 2023)
We are excited to share that we welcomed two new board members via our October elections and bid a fond farewell to a long-time board member. Mike Carey and Alana Chang were elected and appointed as Treasurer and Secretary, respectively. We thank both of them enthusiastically for their willingness to serve! After more than seven years of service as a PVRA board member, Sara Silverman has decided to end her time on the PVRA Board but will continue to serve as the chair of our Membership Subcommittee. We thank her for her years of service to the community!
On a positive note, the summer of 2023 was a very enjoyable one at the pool. We saw continued improvements to the pool property, such as the installation of umbrellas at every table and the addition of a resurfaced pickleball court. After the pool closed for the season, neighbors Anne and Tyler Newman and their construction crew continued the improvements by repainting the pool house, powerwashing the pool deck, repairing the diving board base, and making many other substantial improvements to the property. Members will no doubt be excited to see these improvements come Summer 2024! In 2023, we held successful social events and fundraisers like the annual yard sale (thank you, Krystal Owen!) and the Aquathlon (thank you, David & Jen Jeffers!) which raised a combined $7,000 to offset our membership losses.
In addition, we are excited to report that our own Pleasant Valley Piranhas were crowned the undefeated champions of NVSL Division 17 and the team successfully hosted the season-ending divisional meet where many Piranha swimmers collected individual honors! Congratulations to the team, its coaches, and all the volunteers who make our swim team so successful.
Unfortunately, I also have to report that we experienced a reduction in memberships in 2023 - 8 fewer full memberships and 32 fewer Friends of the Pool memberships. We had 150 full members in 2023, 11 of which were non-PV residents, and 74 Friends of the Pool members. That means 338 of the 551 homeowners in Pleasant Valley, or 61%, chose not to support the pool at any level in 2023.
This reduction in membership revenue is unsustainable as we sustained a net loss of nearly $7,500 in 2023. Our current management contract runs through 2024 and 2025. We believe we have the necessary reserve funds, borne of pool rentals in the Covid summer of 2020, to maintain current membership and stay viable through 2025. However, we do not believe we will have the necessary funds to sign a management contract for 2026 and beyond absent an increase in membership or the identification of alternative revenue sources. If you value the pool’s place in our neighborhood and believe you can help with either of these critical efforts, please email the board at info@pvrec.org. We intend to form both a Membership Committee and an Alternative Revenues Committee and would be eager to welcome new volunteers to help with both.
Full memberships, including monthly installment billing if desired, can already be purchased for 2024 by visiting bit.ly/JoinPV2024. Though our management contract has increased and inflation continues to increase costs, we were able to limit our dues increase to $25 or less across all membership levels. Membership commitments made by December 15 will save 15% if paid in full and 10% if paid in monthly installments.
Friends memberships can be purchased by visiting bit.ly/PVFriends. We did not increase the cost of Friends of the Pool memberships, which include 8 visits per household on any dates of your choosing, and can be paid in a lump sum of $216 or in monthly installments of only $18 per month.
Thanks, as always, to my tireless colleagues on the PVRA Board and to the members of the Piranhas swim team committee, both of whom give countless hours to ensure that operations carry on smoothly for both the pool and the Piranhas. Please feel free to contact the PVRA Board with questions or concerns at info@pvrec.org.
Sincerely,
Chris DelGrosso
PVRA President