MISSION VIEJO : City to Pay Upkeep of Nadadores’ Pools

Almost two years of uncertainty over a permanent home for the Mission Viejo Nadadores may have ended when the City Council appeared to concede that the city would pay $265,000 annual maintenance on the swim team’s practice facility.

City negotiators Monday night were not instructed to pursue an increase on the current $14,400 annual lease paid by the Nadadores. Instead, the team will be asked to pay more rent on the city-owned pool complex only if their fund raising is successful.

“There’s been no interest from anyone in the business community in (leasing) those pools,” Mayor Susan Withrow said after the meeting. “What were we going to do, let it stay vacant?”

Although several points remain to be negotiated, the biggest is the cost of operating the two-pool swim stadium.

Located at Marguerite and Oso parkways, the swim complex has been home to the Nadadores for almost 20 years.

When the Mission Viejo Co. pulled its sponsorship of the swim team in late 1991, it came up with a land swap in which the swim stadium and several other recreation centers went to the city. The Mission Viejo Co. got a two-story office building in exchange.

Nadadores officials say they raised $560,000 to pay for the cost of an internationally recognized swim program and cannot afford to pay more to lease the pools.

In the past, city officials have expressed doubts about paying $265,000 to support a group that counts about 350 active participants.

On Monday, the Nadadores presented new figures that show more than 1,000 people are enrolled in their program.

Team spokesman Brian Murphy said the city spends more on Little League and youth soccer players. City officials have produced conflicting figures showing that considerably more city money is spent on Nadadores team members than other youth sports.

The contradictions aired on Monday typified the often tense, combative atmosphere existing between some city officials and the Nadadores.

In the end, council members said they clearly recognized the value of the Nadadores program.

On Monday, by a 3-to-1 vote, the council told city staff to bargain for:

* A 10-year agreement with a three-year escape clause for either party.

* A provision to allow lap swimmers to use the pool.

* Guarantees that the Nadadores would pay more rent if their fund-raising revenues increase. However, the team would not have to include money drawn from corporate sponsors.

* The Nadadores is to institute affordable swim programs for the community. Nadadores swimmers pay between $80 and $125 per month to participate in a program that has produced athletes who have won more than 40 Olympic medals.