Board Building and Grounds

The Building and Grounds volunteers are responsible for maintaining and improving the club's structures, systems, and grounds. This can be a demanding (but rewarding) role. Each position has a two-year term, with elections occurring during alternating years (to ensure overlap).

This description is a work-in-progress and will be updated regularly.

Job Description

• Attend monthly board meetings (minimum 80%).
• Monitor budget specific to the upkeep and maintenance of the pool and grounds.

Onboarding

• Become familiar with the pool systems.
• Understand the basics of pool maintenance. The manager and staff are responsible for the day-to-day, but B&G volunteers must understand pool operation as part of their maintenance and improvement duties.
• Briefly review the club history and become familiar with the planned capital needs (link TBD).
• Review the building electrical diagrams.
• Learn about Sloan flush valves and the operation of commercial toilets.

Pre-Season Tasks

Mid to Late February: Purchase Pool Chemicals

• Take inventory of existing chemicals.
• Update and review prior years' orders and usage where possible to estimate the needs for the upcoming year. This is tracked on the Chemical Orders page. While it is difficult to know our exact needs - ordering stock for the high side of average use can save us money. Take advantage of early buy discounts (if applicable) and minimize subsequent order delivery charges.

A new (Taylor) test kit is always required for the season. A large quantity of Accutabs (calcium hypochlorite) and hydrochloric (muriatic) acid will be required. To a lesser extent (depending upon existing inventory), we will need calcium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and stabilizer. A new (Taylor) test kit is always required for the season.

Late March to Early April: Water and Pool Opening

Opening day for members is typically scheduled for the Thursday before Memorial Day (the last Monday in May).

• Request water meter installation via the City of Livonia. The city installs approximately 1,500 seasonal meters, so request early. Typically, meter installation begins in late March.
  • Once the water meter is installed, it is our responsibility to open the water gate valve near the street. The city will no longer support turning the gate as of 2021.
  • Do not turn on the water in the building at this point; doing so may void any warranty or guarantee provided by the contractor during winterization.
• Coordinate pool opening with the contractor.
  • The water meter must be installed first.
  • We should open the pool at least one week before the club's opening day. Ideally, it should be opened much earlier (in April) to provide sufficient time to balance chemicals, solve issues, etc.
  • We will open the water valves, supplying the clubhouse and pump house at this time. To avoid flooding, multiple valves and pipe assemblies must be re-assembled before this to avoid flooding.
  • During the opening, the cover will be removed, folded, and placed on the deck. It is the responsibility of B&G to move and store it in the shed.
• Lubricate the pump motor using the grease gun located in the pump house. Follow this procedure.
• Clean, calibrate, install and verify proper operation of the pH and ORP probes. Probes are expected to last 1-3 years between replacement.
• Unplug sump pump discharge line heat tapes (optional).

Early May: Coordinate Spring Clean-Up

The spring clean-up is an effort led by B&G along with the board. It is typically scheduled for the first or second Saturday in May. Historically, a boys and girls swim team is hired to do the bulk of the work. Work with the Board President to coordinate. Members are encouraged to participate as well.

Preparation and Notes

• Order mulch, as needed. The recommended amount is 11 to 15 yards of hardwood mulch.
• Purchase leaf bags as needed (check the shed first). Have at least 30-40 on hand.
• Ensure that the following supplies are available:
  • Rakes, shovels, trowels, leaf blower(s), and extension cords.
  • Buckets, scrub brushes, and soap (for cleaning pavilion tables, pool deck furniture).
  • Wheelbarrows (to haul mulch/sand; may need to borrow additional from members).
  • Work gloves (the club has an assortment on hand; individuals may want to bring their own).
  • Donuts, coffee, bottled water, and other snacks are usually on-hand. Work with the rest of the board for volunteers.
• The hired lawn crew does not trim trees or maintain landscape beds - this should be part of the clean-up.
• Power washing the pool deck in advance may be desirable (before chairs/lounges are placed).

Swim Team Tasks

B&G is responsible for guiding the swim team effort, which may include:

• Move pool deck furniture from the pavilion to the pool deck.
• Move the fire pit, pavilion tables, etc., in preparation for power washing.
• Wash and scrub pool deck furniture with soap.
• Spread mulch.
  • Ensure sufficient coverage on the playground.
  • Make sure excessive mulch is not piled up against the clubhouse masonry.
  • Spread elsewhere on the property, especially within fenced-in areas.
• Haul and spread sand to the volleyball and tetherball courts (as needed - may not need to be done every year).
• Move chemical supplies to pump house (chlorine tab buckets) and shed (acid boxes/bottles).
• Move pool cover into the shed.
• Haul scrap materials from off-season projects as needed.
• Place wooden picnic tables around grounds.
• Clean up leaves, sticks, etc., from the grounds.
• Clean debris/weeds out of gravel around the pump house, the perimeter of the pool.
• Clean and distribute trash and bottle recycling receptacles.
• Pull weeds.

Member and Board Tasks

The tasks below are recommended on an annual basis. Additional tasks and projects may be added as needed.

• Thoroughly clean the clubhouse, pump house, and shed (in decreasing order of priority).
• Powerwash all concrete surfaces (including the front pad between door and driveway).
• Install ceiling fans in the large pavilion (stored in the basement).
• Install tennis and volleyball nets. Install the tetherball.
• Assemble, clean, and test the gas grills. The gas supply valve is in the basement utility room.
• Install the large umbrella. The folding mechanism may need to be lubricated.
• Scrape (power wash), paint, and/or repair the hardware on wooden picnic tables (may not be needed every year).
• Trim bushes and trees.
• Plant flowers (this may be delayed until mid-May to avoid frost risk).

Mid May: Prepare for Opening

• Start regular dumpster pickup service (once per week on Friday). If needed, the pickup frequency may need to be increased to twice per week (Friday and Monday) to accommodate the extra waste generated during busy weekends.

Operating Tasks

• Support the pool manager and staff to address maintenance concerns.

Near the end of the season, schedule pool closing and winterization with the contractor. Usually, they will reach out before Labor Day with a proposed closing date.

Post-Season Tasks

Early September: Closing Activities

Unless otherwise requested, the pool and club are typically shut down shortly after Labor Day.

• Remove the ceiling fans from the large pavilion. As of 2020, duplicate mounts have been installed in the basement ceiling joists for safe storage. Removing the fans is very important; high winds during winter can cause the fans to rotate at high speeds, damaging fan blades and/or the vinyl ceiling of the pavilion.
• Be on-site for pool closing and winterization with the contractor. Historically, this takes about 6 hours.
  • The contractor will:
    • Pump the pool down to about 16 inches below the gutters.
    • Add pool shock to the remaining water (100 lbs).
    • Remove ladders and railing.
    • Remove the diving board (unless a separate contractor is used).
    • Drain and air purge all water pipes.
    • Add antifreeze (about 15 gallons total) to all drain traps.
    • Remove all drain plugs and disassemble fixtures as needed in the pump house.
    • Install the pool cover.
  • Ensure that all parts removed (particularly in the pump house) are properly stored/labeled. In the past, some parts have been lost, adding cost and delays to opening.
  • Identify any issues found and make plans to resolve them by the next season's opening.
• Remove and store the pH and ORP probes off-site per the manufacturer's recommendations (must be kept in solution and above freezing temperatures).
• Turn the water gate valve at the street and request water meter removal by the city.
• Turn off all labeled seasonal circuits in the pump house breaker panel. Ensure that the sump pump and dusk-to-dawn lighting circuits remain on year-round.
• Coordinate bringing in a swim team (via the president) to help with fall cleanup and be on-site the day of. The team typically will:
  • Move and stack all tables, chairs, games, benches, and garbage receptacles under the large pavilion.
  • Remove nets and umbrellas (with B&G support).
  • Perform any other requested clean-up activities on an as-needed basis.
• Cancel garbage pickup.

Before November: Prepare for Winter

We must perform the following tasks (in no particular order) after Labor Day but before the onset of freezing temperatures.

• Contract a firm to handle snow removal from November through March. We must clear the sidewalks; the club will violate city ordinances 12.04.370 if they're not cleared appropriately. Typically, the parking lot is not cleared (except for a small portion near the entrance).
• Drain the power washer pump and hose. Add fuel stabilizer. Perform seasonal engine maintenance as needed (changing oil and plugs).
• Ensure sump pump discharge line heat tapes are plugged in.
• Move test and calibration reagents off-site to a location not subject to freezing temperatures.

The muriatic acid (31.45 % HCl) has a freezing point below -50 °C. The chlorine tabs can withstand freezing temperatures without issue. Both can remain stored in the shed and pump house, respectively.

Off-Season Tasks

During the off-season, visiting the club and walking the grounds are important tasks. Look for:

• Water in the clubhouse basement or lower level of the pump house. Verify that the sump pumps and heat tape are functional (particularly in the cold months).
• Signs of potential animal entry into the clubhouse, pump house, or shed.
• Signs of vandalism or unauthorized entry to the club.
• Damage to facilities due to major weather events.
• Excessive pool water level. During closing, the pool level is reduced to about 18" below the gutter level. This allows for some amount of fill during the off-season without risking gutter freeze. If the water level approaches the gutter level (within a few inches), drainage or pumping down may be required.

Other Tasks

• Participate in power failure response. Have a plan to provide backup power (i.e. a generator) before predicted storms. This is applicable year-round.
• Ensure that valleys (formerly a straight metal trough prior to 2021) between the shed and the pump house are cleared of debris, and that water leaks are not present.
• Work with the manager to ensure that the following tasks are completed periodically:
  • The pool deck is cleaned, by leaf blower and/or power-washing.
• Maintain the Asset Registry.

Inspections

City of Livonia

The city conducts an annual inspection for swim club certification. During this inspection, violations related to the facilities will be identified and will require correction (and a follow-up visit). A building in disrepair, code violations (electrical or otherwise), and safety issues are all candidates to be flagged.

Other

• We must inspect the boiler per the insurance company and state. The inspector that visited in August 2020 indicated that the next inspection would not be due until 2023. A CSD-1 form must be filled out as part of (or before the inspection). We must keep this form on file both near the boiler and in a binder in the clubhouse.

Hiring Contractors

Generally, the preference is to "hire within" and utilize the members' skills to complete work. However, some tasks require licensed professionals and/or are outside the members' capabilities.

All work should be approved by the board (or a subset of the board, where appropriate) before project kick-off. For large projects (particularly those above $1,500), we should obtain three bids. This is subject to the board's discretion; some jobs may require hiring a specific contractor, for instance.

Paperwork

As requested by the treasurer, all contractors must provide a Certificate of Insurance before arriving for work. In addition, the following are requested where possible:

• General Liability Policy
• Hired Auto or Non-Owned Auto Policy
• Workers' Compensation
• Umbrella Policy
• Additional Insured (not common)
• Waiver of Subrogation (not common)

A W-9 is also necessary for tax purposes (may not necessarily need to provide up-front). The club's official name is "Fairway Farms Swim & Tennis Club, Inc.", where needed.

Off-Season Work

Ensure that contractors know in advance if the building will not have running water (during the off-season). It may be advisable to mark toilet stalls as "out of order" as a reminder (based upon experience). The clubhouse has no insulation; some warming may be possible via electric heat, though be mindful of the cost. The basement will typically dip into the 40's or 30's mid-winter.

Lessons Learned

• The property has a very high water table. This has several implications:
  • The sump pump in the pump house is crucial; without it, flooding can occur relatively quickly. The sump pump must be left on all year long.
  • The sump pump in the clubhouse is important but less crucial. The original drain tile system (from 1967), along with remnants of an internal drain system (added at an unknown date), provides drainage into the city (sanitary) sewer. Before 2021, this was the primary drainage system. To "dry out" the basement, we added a sump pump (along with new drain tiles) in January 2021.
  • Relative humidity levels exceeding 70 % have been observed in the clubhouse basement, even in February. It may be necessary to run a dehumidifier even in the winter months. This may require some care (use the timer setting to defrost) as ice build-up at low temperatures is possible.
  • Monitor the basement walls and floor, particularly during the spring thaw and following heavy precipitation to ensure. Mold issues (last remediated in 2020) can be likely be avoided if diligent.
• In general, the network equipment should be left on all winter long. This is particularly true for the battery backup units (UPS units) to maintain battery integrity.

Chemical Storage

• It is hazardous to store acid (i.e. hydrochloric/muriatic) and chlorine (i.e. calcium hypochlorite) near one another. If the two come in contact, the chemical reaction produces toxic chlorine gas. Therefore, the chemicals are stored as follows:
  • The stock of acid (in sealed plastic jugs) is to be stored on the shelves in the shed.
  • The chlorine stock (in sealed buckets) is to be stored in the pump house, stacked at three high most.