Bringing people up to date with what is happening
with Mi Sol Swimming pool.
1. The company that supply and administer the automatic chemical dispenser have been given the contract to keep the pool clean. This is costing 4,223€ over the summer period (3 ½ Months), this works out at 1,206€ per each month or approximately 40€ per day. The work entailed only takes an average of 30 minutes per day and is not needed every day, so it works out at 80€ per hour, minimum. Not bad for scooping a few loose leaves with a net, occasionally cleaning the sides and hoovering the bottom twice a week.
2. The contract for cleaning the toilets, shower trays and sweeping the outer perimeter of the pool has been granted to the gardener. This takes a maximum of 20 minutes. Therefore it is equivalent to 45€ per hour as he is being paid 15€ per day.
3. The lifeguard has been engaged at a rate of 6.60€ per hour. She works from 9:00am until 2:00pm and the again at 4:00pm until 8:00pm. These hours have been installed without any consultation. Since she started, for three hours every day she has absolutely nothing to do which is a complete waste of money, or has Mi Sol become a charity for South American immigrants. Also, up to now there are no bathers from 6:00pm onwards, so She is just sat there for two hours waiting out the clock.
4. Security Guards at a swimming pool. (yes, you've read it correctly)
Exactly the same hours apply to their contract, however, they are being paid 8.50€ per hour for doing absolutely nothing for 5 hours a day. Admittedly, it will get busier as the season progresses but to start at 9am is utterly ludicrous. In the past the pool has always opened at 10:30am and doesn't usually see any bathers until at least 11:30am. Also from past experience we know that the Spanish residents traditionally take the family for a swim around 8:30pm to 9:30pm, there is still plenty of heat and daylight at these times during the Spanish summertime.
Total cost over 3 ½ Months.
1. Maintainance. 4223 €
2. Cleaning 1575 €
3. Lifeguard 7287 €
4. Security 9817 €
Total 22,902 €
+iva (16%) 3,664 €
Total after iva 26,566 €
This represents about 20% of the total income for Mi Sol and it begs the question of whether it is worth it seeing as last year it only cost 4,000€.
Arguments for.
1. You are appeasing the residents that consider it wrong that non-payers can use the pool.
2. People will pay their fees so that they may use the pool.
3. The money is being paid more quickly.
Arguments Against.
1. The money would be paid anyway.
2. The method of issuing pool cards is too severe.
i.e. Two residents were refused cards because they were small amounts in arrears (15€ and 25€) one of them being a long standing resident who has worked tirelessly on the committee, ran the office, read meters and has had Mi Sol close to her heart, surely in such cases a little tact or discretion is in order.
Other problems have arisen, as only one person seems capable of issuing these cards, therefore people who are paid up to date in full have to wait for their cards, which should be printed and awaiting collection at the office.
Suspicions are raised too when Paco is given an unspecified amount of cards to distribute to his personal friends.
I personally think that the idea is correct, but has been implemented incorrectly, both economically and administratively. A great deal of money could have been saved with just a little more consultation with the residents.
The matter of the regime implemented at the pool is also too severe and is taking a lot of enjoyment away, already we have seen an 8 year old boy reduced to tears because his small ball was snatched off him and locked away in the pool room, the guard in question refused to give back the ball even to the boy's parents who had promised not to let him take it back into the pool. The parents were told to return at 8:00pm when the pool closes to reclaim the ball. When they did not appear, the ball was not kept safe in the pool room or even handed into the bar. It was thrown over the fence into the road.
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