The city of Warrenton is establishing the new position of aquatics director and will not renew an outside contract for management of the city’s aquatic center, officials announced last week.Instead, newly appointed Aquatics Director Lisa Kramer will take the lead of operations at the pool and all staff will be directly employed by the city.Warrenton currently contracts with a private company, Midwest Pool Management, to run daily operations at the aquatic center. The same company operated the city’s previous outdoor pool.Warrenton Director of Operations Brandie Walters said the city’s contract with Midwest Pool Management will expire at the end of September, and the city will take direct control of the aquatic center Oct. 1. She made the announcement Aug. 20 at the city’s regular board of aldermen meeting.Last year, the board of aldermen approved a year-long, $418,000 contract with the pool management company when the aquatic center first opened in October 2018.Kramer was hired on Aug. 15, and officially started Aug. 26. She will be paid $73,000 a year, according to a document from the Aug. 20 meeting.Kramer said she was brought on board to expand the programs and boost membership at the aquatic center.“(The city) felt bringing it in-house is going to help do that because there will be somebody within the city who has an interest in building up programming,” Kramer said. “I’m very excited to build this from the ground up and develop programming and get the usage up.”Kramer previously worked for 16 years as the aquatic director at the Chesterfield branch of the Gateway Region YMCA. She said she developed programming and ran swim lessons at the Y, as well as hiring staff. Her duties also included overseeing camp, early childhood programming and sports programs.Prior to that, Kramer worked as the aquatic director at the Splash City Family Water Park in Collinsville, Ill.Kramer said her first priority is to get staff on board for when control of the aquatic center transfers from Midwest Pool Management to the city. She hopes many of the current staff members will stay on with the pool, and will offer training and certification for new staff.For programming at the pool starting in October, Kramer said she plans to begin working with the Warren County R-III School District to develop programs for students on Mondays. The school district switched to a four-day school week this year and now has Mondays free for optional student programs.“I want to revamp swim lessons and develop a much more fluid swim lesson program,” Kramer explained. She said programs would include water safety instruction for children, and that swim lessons would be provided for all age categories, including adult learners.By helping introduce more people to the pool and getting them in the water, Kramer hopes to build long-term participation at the aquatic center.“Starting it early in elementary school hopefully will build their curiosity and their want to continue to swim,” she commented.Expanding exercise programs is also on the to-do list for the aquatic center. Sometime in the future, a day camp for kids is one of Kramer’s goals. She is looking for community input on what people want to see at the pool.The variable depth and compact size of the pool make it a great place for teaching and for ‘aquacize’ programs, as Kramer calls them. The new director is looking forward to beginning her role in earnest.“I love being able to see children and adults experience things, either for the first time or to better themselves in a skill. ... To watch those ‘Aha!’ moments when it finally clicks,” she commented. “I can’t wait to get my feet wet and jump right in and get started.”

Lisa Kramer will take the helm of the Warrenton Aquatic Center beginning Oct. 1. The former YMCA aquatic director has plans for increased educational and community programs at the pool. 

Record photo/Adam Rollins