FCAST finance committee concluded a round of meetings with FCPS central office administrators and local administrators at the 3 sites where there are pools. The meetings were fact finding in nature and FCAST sent a list of observations and suggestions to the school system on what needs to be done in order to keep the pools open and swimming and diving alive in Frederick County, Maryland.

The good news is that swimming and diving has been taken off the list of proposed cuts for the 2010-11 school year. The bad news is that we have been told to expect a very difficult budget in 2011-12. In other words, the long term well being of the 3 FCPS pools is still in jeopardy and there is much work that needs to be done. The national trend has been to close public high school pools to cut costs. FCAST is proud that we have worked to stave off this trend in our county so far.

In our April meeting we formed the following committees:

Bylaws - Nancy Pressly(YMCA, MHS), Karen Morris (RMSC, UHS, VOU) , Toni James (NBAC, UHS)

Membership - Rodney Martin (YMCA, Future MHS),

Special Events/Fundraising - Paul Gergol (poolpatioporch@aol.com), Toni James (NBAC, UHS)

Pool Models Research - Rob Fox (FAST)

Communications/Publicity - Karen Morris (RMSC, UHS, VOU)

Nominations - Laura Weaver (YMCA, UHS) , Toni James (NBAC, UHS), Karen Morris (RMSC, UHS, VOU), Mark Kavanaugh (RMSC, UHS, SPRINGRIDGE)

Finance Committee - Tim McIlmail (RMSC, UHS, VOU), Fred Manning (MAC, GTJHS, CLOVERHILL), Ric Hammond (RMSC, UHS, VOU)

We are in need of more volunteers to join these committees. Please consider sharing your talents and volunteering on one of these committees. It is the work of these committees that will ensure to keep swimming programs and swimming pools open in Frederick County in the future. If we are to ever realize out dream of bringing a major aquatics center to our county, it will take the work of many. Please let us know if you are willing to work on any of these committees.

FCAST will be present at the FSSL All Star meet and at the divisional meets. If you would be willing to man a membership table at any of these events, please let us know ASAP.

The fall and winter should be very active. FCAST will sponsor the 2nd Annual Relay Carnival to kick off the 2010-11 FCPS winter swim season. Last year only high school swimmers swam in the afternoon. This year FCAST would like to have a morning session of the relay carnival for younger swimmers. All younger club and FSSL swimmers will be invited to form relays and compete. There is some talk about having a masters relay competition. If interested please contact us ASAP. The date of this relay carnival will be set in the fall 2010.

At present, after one year of existence, FCAST boasts of 188 family memberships and $4,700 in our coffers. All funds will be used to advocate for and protect swimming and swimming pools in our county. All FCAST positions are voluntary.

FCAST will convene a fall meeting of the leadership of all Frederick County USA swim teams and FSSL leaders. As important as protecting our current swim venues is, it is equally important to begin planning for the future and working together to have a major aquatics center built in Frederick as our neighboring counties enjoy. FCAST believes that such a center would be economically viable and would bring economic opportunities to our county residents, not to mention the tremendous needs that our swim community has that could be met be such a facility.

Please consider joining our efforts. We hope you will rejoin as a FCAST member in the 2010-11 calendar year. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason.

Sincerely,

Mark S. Kavanaugh

President, Frederick County Advocates for Swim Teams