Pool time is there

In response to Lori Wente’s comments on July 12 (“Letters to the editor”), I just want to set the record straight.

During the months of June and July, Community Education Services offers swimming lessons to students from 6 months of age through mid-teens.Our swimming lessons start at 8:25 in the morning and run until 8:35 in the evening except from 3:30 to 5:30 when the communities’ competitive swimming and diving teams are scheduled to use the pool and we take a short break from teaching swimming lessons. Our summer swimming lessons are extremely popular. We will usually register over 2,200 students during the course of the summer. In the past, we have offered open swimming during the evenings, but it was not feasible for the district. At the same time, we had a great demand for evening swimming lessons, which we instituted in our program over 10 years ago, and it turned out to be financially successful.During the first part of August, we close the pool for yearly maintenance before the high school girls swimming and diving team starts practices, and then school starts.As you can see, we do offer swimming lessons most of the day and evening, taking only a short break for our competitive teams to practice. We do not offer open swimming because of the cost to run such a program.This past school year, we offered family open swimming once a month, and it was also poorly attended.For anyone interested, we still have some openings in our swimming classes for our last session of the summer, which starts on July 21. You can call (925) 226-0893 for availability.

Arch McCord, pool director, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools

 Market goes to Main Ave.

Congratulations to the person who made the decision to place the Prior Lake Farmers Market on Main Street in Prior Lake.

What a home-run decision it was. My wife and I had an absolute blast visiting the Farmers Market on this past beautiful Saturday. I talked with the shop owners along Main and they were just as excited, too. I hope that this great decision is just the beginning of a summer and fall season of shopping the Farmers Market in town of Main.

Jim McCarty, Prior Lake 

Olson makes run for board

My name is Chris Olson, and I am running for Scott County Commissioner in District 2.

I am 45 years old and have obtained academic degrees in law enforcement, management and public safety administration. I have worked for the city of Prior Lake Police Department since 1987, and I have resided in Spring Lake Township since 1997. My wife and I are raising two children, ages 7 and 13, and we are very much invested in the community through our employers, schools and recreational activities.

 I recently learned that Bob Vogel is not seeking re-election for the county commissioner position he has occupied for two terms. I would like to thank Mr. Vogel for his dedicated service to Scott County.

 I find a great deal of satisfaction in serving the public, and I view Mr. Vogel’s vacancy as an opportunity for me to serve the Scott County residents through involvement with the County Board. I feel grateful for the professional and personal relationships formed during my time in Scott County. In just over two decades of working in law enforcement here, I have had numerous favorable dealings with a variety of people including police and fire personnel, corrections officials, attorneys, human services employees, county commissioners, city council members, clergy, labor unions and school district employees.

 The key issues for me are public safety, land use, transportation and infrastructure, parks, water and natural resources. It is my goal to be a part of a leadership team focused on creative ways to increase efficiency while also limiting expenditures.

We are in difficult economic times. My family has made adjustments due to these economic times. Scott County is facing financial challenges today and in the foreseeable future. I believe with your help we can effectively manage these issues. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and hope to meet many of you in the coming months. I can be contacted at www.electchrisolson.com.

Chris Olson, Spring Lake Township

The future of energy

A few weeks ago, the following article was in the Star Tribune:

“Brotten, Minn. — A central Minnesota dairy farm is experimenting with technology to convert methane from cow manure into electricity.

“Milk isn’t the only product produced by the 158 dairy cows on Jerry Jenissen’s farm. Thanks to a digester that converts methane from cow manure into electricity, Jenissen is hoping to produce enough power not only to supply his farm but also to sell some to his utility company.”

I’m thinking that if we could bring this technology to Washington, D.C., and hook it up to the House and Senate, with the crap they put out, they could generate enough electricity to light up the whole East Coast.

Dennis L. Hron, Shakopee