In the age of growing communities and stress on facilities, I believe it is time that we adopt a good neighbor policy.

Background

When the University of Maryland first opened its "New" student center, they were charging almost $215.00 per hour for the use of their pool. At the time this was about $75.00 more then any other facility in PVS. Because of this the PVS board felt that is was too much, I being on the board at the time, and so we did not rent. A few months later the YMCA came in and hosted the Y Nationals at Maryland. I asked the office at the time "how much did PVS make on splash fees from the meet"? The answer was $25.00 the sanction fee for associate members for an observed meet at that time. At the time I felt how could we put pressure on a facility to lower fees if someone is willing to pay? So, the next HoD I proposed we charge the same splash fee for associate members to the same we charge club members $.50 per splash. This was four years ago and my feeling has changed with the years.

Proposal

We have a good neighbor policy for Virginia Swimming and Maryland Swimming are neighboring LSC, "bothers and sisters" in USA Swimming. If they wish to use a facility inside the geographic areas of Potomac Valley Swimming, PVS charge a flat $100 per day splash fee.

I feel we should not charge our neighbors thousand of dollars because they cannot get the use of a facility in their area on a given weekend or because they are in need.

As far an associate member like Y Nationals I feel they are not family but "outside in-laws" and therefore unless it is a PVS Y club is hosting the event we charge them the the same splash fee all other clubs pay at the current splash rate.

However if a PVS club who has affiliations within another swimming governing body such as NCAA we would then only charge them the $100 per day splash fee.

Example - NCAA Championships are at UMD. UMD is a PVS club. The fee currently for observing that meet is $100; it would then become $300 for a three-day meet. Conversely if the Severna Park Y were the host club for Y nationals to be held at UMD then the sanction fee for observing this meet would become $0.75 (current rate) per splash.