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It’s official: Pool named for longtime aquatic booster Jan Nadig

By Sarah Brown
Lebanon Local

The Lebanon District school board approved the renaming of the Lebanon Community Pool as the Jan Nadig Pool during its board meeting March 11.
The Lebanon Booster Club presented the request in January as a way to honor Nadig, who, they said, was a pillar to the pool and many of the services it offers. The board gave approval on principle and allowed a two-month time period for public comment.
“She is the pool, and deserves that,” said Supt. Bo Yates.
In their formal request, the Booster Club said Nadig was known as the “pool lady,” who had an “incredibly kind and thoughtful personality.”
She was hired as assistant supervisor of Lebanon Community Services in 1975, specifically overseeing the pool. In 1980 Nadig was hired as Aquatic Coordinator in 1980, and became head swim coach for the high school from 1986 to 1996.
During her 20-year tenure serving at the pool, Nadig developed a program allowing third-graders to receive free swim lessons, and installed a lift allowing people with physical challenges to access the pool.
Among many of her services, she was instrumental in getting the warm pool installed, developing swimming and water therapy classes for adults, and advocating for affordable pool access prices. Nadig also taught classes for the high school, including Advanced Lifesaving and Adaptive Aquatics.

LORLEE ENGLER, executive director, stands on the deck at the shuttered Lebanon Community Pool.
Photo by Sarah Brown

In line with the community pool topic was a discussion that Yates brought to the table during the board meeting regarding a bond initiative idea for needed maintenance.
The State of Oregon has a program that will match monies up to a certain amount for school district general maintenance bonds.
“Since I’ve been in the position as assistant superintendent and now superintendent, and know the amount of work that needs to be done in areas that you don’t see, I’m concerned and would like to address some of that,” Yates said. “And I’d like to be able to do it for 50 cents on the dollar.”
Everything needed to apply for the program has been put into place, but the community needs to support it, he said.
“It’s never a good time to ask taxpayers for money, but asking when it’s gonna be matched by an outside entity seemed like it would be a really good idea for us to pursue,” Yates said.
Looking at long-range plans, a list of necessities has been drafted, including roof repairs, ADA bathrooms, and added classrooms at Seven Oak in order to move all sixth-graders to the school, which in turn allows preschools to move into the elementary schools, he said.
Also, though the Lebanon Aquatic District rents the pool facility from the district, it has no extra funds to do anything beyond general maintenance, and Yates noted that the pool needs “a major renovation.”
If district voters approve a $12 million bond, it could qualify for an $8 million match from the state, totaling up to $20 million to complete needed maintenance in the district, he said.
Board members agreed the people in Lebanon would be getting a lot of value from the matching funds, and that the needed maintenance items will only cost more in the future if they are deferred much longer.
Yates noted it might be a bad time to get a bond, but at the same time it’s a good time to “leap frog” ahead of other districts for the funding.
No approval was necessary on the matter at the meeting this month, but the board agreed to take the next steps to determine eligibility and begin conversations with the community.

In other business, the school board:
♦ Awarded a pre-construction services contract up to $25,000 to Gerding Builders, LLC for construction manager/general contractor for capital bond projects.
♦ Approved the purchase of property at 800 Kees St. in Lebanon for $251,000. The purchase includes two lots side by side at .92 acres each, with a three-bedroom house that needs remodeling.
The property will be used to provide opportunities for the high school construction class to develop the land and construct housing, which provides both hands-on experience as well as expanding the community in a positive way, said Will Lewis.