When an agenda item is on the ‘Consent Calendar,’ the expectation is that it’s just a formality, something that needs City Council approval to be finalized. Consent Item C-9 at the May 27, 2025 Culver City Council meeting was the complete opposite.
The proposal of a contract for the Georgia-based company USA Pools to take over staffing at the local municipal swimming pool inspired a pre-meeting protest rally, and almost a hundred supporters attending the meeting along with the newly-released employees of the Plunge, who had been abruptly laid off the week before.
Ted Stevens, the Director of Parks and Recreation, went in to deep detail on how hard it had been to get and keep lifeguards at the Plunge. “The landscape in regard to wages has changed; you can make $20 an hour flipping burgers these days. Lifeguarding is hard work.” The amount of training required is intense, and with many other municipal and private pools competing for staff – not to mention LA County beaches – Culver City’s PRCS has had issues finding enough staff to keep the pool open.
Public comments reflected the number of people who use the Plunge and value it as a community resource. For more than an hour and half, people came to the podium speaking in support of the employees, and reflecting on the many documented problems with the company.
Several of the employees who spoke, including Isabella Escobedo, pointed out the issues from their own experience.
Escobedo noted that there had been a four month wait between being hired and starting work, all the while the pool was understaffed. “I followed every step in submitting my documents on time, but there was no communication…and no explanation for the delay. The Plunge has always been a valued community asset, and [the staff] deserves the same level of care and commitment.”
Mayor Dan O’Brien questioned USA Pools representative Allison Abbot about an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau, and she only offered that it was not their address.
Council member Vera stated “I came into this evening with a different perspective than I have now…this crowd has effectively changed my mind.”
Vice Mayor Freddy Puza offered “I’d love to have a more community centered, long term approach.” He also reflected that the need to cultivate more support for youth employment cold benefit the city in many ways.
All five council members agreed – as a consent item, it was not a vote – to drop the contract offer with USA Pools, rehire the Plunge staff and work with PRCS to resolve the staffing issue.
There was a applause and cheering from the audience in the chambers, and the meeting proceeded on with the agenda.
Judith Martin-Straw