Where Do City Council Candidates Stand on a Swimming Pool? A Hermosa Pool Initiative Voter Guide

As Hermosa Beach residents prepare to vote in the upcoming City Council election, we know that for the thousands of you who have supported the Hermosa Pool Initiative (HPI), access to a community swimming pool is an important issue.

The good news? We've made progress! The City has established a Parks and Recreation subcommittee to explore aquatics needs and potential solutions for Hermosa residents. (Please fill out THIS SURVEY to tell about your pool use/needs!) But turning those conversations into a swimming pool for Hermosa and the Beach Cities will require continued leadership, collaboration, and commitment from our elected officials.

We want to recognize candidates who have engaged with HPI and share what we know about each candidate's involvement in moving this issue forward. You can see their answer about a pool (and a dog park) at a debate HERE.

This is not an endorsement of any candidate. Our goal is to provide information about their engagement with the swimming pool initiative so voters can make informed decisions — and to encourage every candidate to help make a swimming pool in or near Hermosa Beach a reality.

Elka Worner
As a Parks and Recreation Commissioner and longtime Hermosa resident, Elka understands firsthand the challenges local families face accessing swimming lessons and swim teams. She experienced those same frustrations with her own daughter.

Elka is the only candidate who has met separately with both HPI leadership and our Youth Council, asking, "What can I do to help?" More importantly, she followed through. She supported the creation of the Parks and Recreation aquatics subcommittee and has spoken publicly from the dais about the importance of finding aquatics solutions for Hermosa residents.

Maggie Bove-La Monica
A swimmer herself, Maggie understands firsthand the challenges Hermosa families face accessing aquatics programs, having experienced the frustration of trying to get her own children onto swim teams.

Maggie has offered HPI ideas, potential solutions, and introductions to key people who could help move the project forward. She is the one who directed HPI to join forces with Beach Cities Health District, and now, it's looking positive that a private developer will build a swimming pool on the campus that would be available to Hermosans. She also attended the Parks and Recreation meeting where the aquatics subcommittee was discussed, sitting alongside HPI supporters. And she's made her support visible in the neighborhood with a "Build the Swimming Pool" sign in her yard!

Eric Horne
Eric has expressed support for bringing a swimming pool to Hermosa Beach and understands the challenges residents face. His proposal for a hotel that would generate additional tax revenue for the City includes a swimming pool accessible to Hermosa residents — one possible approach to expanding aquatics access. Eric also spoke publicly at the Parks and Recreation meeting in support of creating a subcommittee to explore swimming pool possibilities.

Ray Jackson
As a City Council member, Ray has engaged with other cities in discussing several possibilities for building a new shared pool, including discussions with Redondo Beach about a shared aquatic facility at Aviation Field, exploring a regional pool at Seaside Lagoon, and investigating potential restrictions on repurposing the lawn bowling site. While the Aviation Field discussions ultimately did not move forward, Ray believes Seaside Lagoon offers the most promising opportunity for a regional aquatic facility, provided funding and cooperation between neighboring cities can be secured. He has also voted as a City Council member to advance exploration of a swimming pool through Parks and Recreation.

Dean Francois
Dean has been open to conversations about a community swimming pool and has suggested individuals and organizations HPI might contact as potential partners. At the recent Leadership Hermosa Beach debate, he said that the city should be supportive of helping a swimming pool become a reality with outside funding. That's a breakthrough statement that's exciting to the cause, but, we are not aware that he's taken any action himself to advance a swimming pool while he's been a member of city council. We appreciate his willingness to discuss the concept and would welcome his ideas for how the City can take the next steps.

Rob Saemann
Rob was receptive when HPI first raised concerns about the lack of local swimming facilities and encouraged advocates to bring the issue before City Council. When they did, he made the motion to refer the swimming pool issue to Parks and Recreation for exploration — an important early step.

Since then, HPI has seen little further involvement from Rob in advancing the project. When presented with a potential outside funding opportunity that could minimize or eliminate the financial burden on Hermosa Beach, he praised the idea but declined to participate in the conversations needed to explore it. Then, Rob reportedly stated during a candidate debate that a swimming pool isn't financially feasible for the City.

For more than 50 years, a swimming pool has been Hermosa residents' most requested recreational facility, as reflected in the City's Parks and Recreation Master Plans. Making it a reality requires city leaders willing to do more than cite financial obstacles — we need them to actively engage, explore creative funding opportunities, and pursue partnerships that could finally turn this longstanding community need into a reality. It is a big project and one that needs to be done with city involvement to come up with viable solutions.

The Next Step: Turning Interest Into Action
We appreciate every candidate who has taken the time to listen, share ideas, or take action. And we hope all six candidates will commit to working toward a swimming pool solution, whether that's within Hermosa Beach or through a regional partnership with our neighboring cities.

A swimming pool isn't just a recreational amenity. It's about water safety, children's swimming lessons, opportunities for teens and seniors, accessibility for people with disabilities, and a healthier community.

Regardless of who wins, HPI looks forward to working with our next City Council to turn the community's need for aquatics access into real solutions.

ONE MORE THING: PLEASE COMPLETE THE CITY'S SWIMMING POOL SURVEY!
The new Parks and Recreation subcommittee is gathering information about Hermosa Beach residents' swimming and aquatics needs. Your response will help establish community demand and guide what happens next.

It takes just two minutes, and every response matters!

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE:
https://form.jotform.com/262695665453066

Thank you for continuing to advocate for a swimming pool in or near Hermosa Beach!

The Hermosa Pool Initiative
hermosapool.com