A publication of the Florida Swimming Pool Association www.FloridaPoolPro.biz May 2023 Tops in Trucks Award Winners Large Fleet Small Fleet Master Touch Pools POOLfection Tops in Trucks awards were presented during the Welcome and Awards Reception at the Everything Under the Sun Expo
2 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS Florida Pool Prosm © 2023 Florida Swimming Pool Association. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. 2555 Porter Lake Drive, Ste. 106 Sarasota, FL 34240 (941) 952-9293 / (800) 548-6774 Fax: (941) 366-7433 www.FloridaPoolPro.biz Association Mission: Advancing Florida’s swimming pool industry Executive Director Elizabeth McMurray Sr. Dir. of Marketing & Communications Charis Tyson Senior Director of Government Affairs Dallas Thiesen Office Manager Valerie Swika Finance & Accounting Manager Janine DeHerrera Events & Programs Manager Jessica Johnson Workforce Education Manager Brittany Cagle PR & Digital Media Specialist Alyssa Holcomb Membership Services Specialist Kelly Sauro President Don Ball The Pool Works of Florida, Inc., Largo Vice President Deidre Bedford West Coast Pools, Bradenton Treasurer Ben Evans American Pools and Spas, Inc., Orlando Secretary Roy Waldhauer Waldhauer & Son, Inc., Bunnell At-Large Director Jonathan Mosher Signet Pools, Sarasota Past President Mickey Sigmon Pool Pro, Inc., Fort Pierce Published monthly by the Florida Swimming Pool Association CONTENTS Let's talk about water safety! President's Column S *** You Should Know May is Water Safety Month Executive Director's Column FSPA successfully stops restrictive Dept. of Health chlorine requirement Firing an employee Builder Article Completing a commercial Pool Commercial Article New Florida friends Service Article Why you should perform background checks Insurance Update LP Gas eduction schedule Chapter News Calendar 4 4 6 9 11 13 16 20 24 26 40 All FSPA members are welcome to attend state Board of Directors meetings. If you would like more information or to RSVP, visit industry.floridapoolpro.com or call 800-548-6774. June 9-10 Board of Directors Meeting Don CeSar St. Pete Beach
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 3 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS 2737 24th St. N. - St. Petersburg, FL 33713 - 727.823.5642 - autopilot.com Available at your local HornerXpress® Branch. TH-2031 4_23 *Additional purchase of PoolSync® WiFi Controller required Get advanced functionality when paired with the PoolSync® WiFi Controller. • View current salt level and water temperature • See how much salt to add, when needed • Receive notification when the cell needs to be cleaned High Tech Line of Salt Chlorine Generators Introducing the Improved Control your salt chlorine generator right through your phone Models available for pools up to 50,000 gallons Advanced sensors measure temperature, salt level and flow
4 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA PRESIDENT FSPA President Don Ball president@FloridaPoolPro.com Let's talk about water safety! One of the best ways to support FSPA’s lobbying efforts at the state and local levels is to donate to the Pool Industry Political Action Committee (PIPAC). PIPAC helps the industry by supporting candidates and legislators who work to advance important swimming pool / spa industry issues; from reducing the costs of doing business, to employment and workforce issues, to water safety and sanitation and building standards. The relationships FSPAbuilds with policymakers through PIPAC gets important industry issues in front of legislative leadership and in front of the Governor and key advisors. By giving to PIPAC you are making your voice heard in the Capitol. Donate to PIPAC today by visiting PoolPAC.com or calling 941-952-9293. S *** You Should Know Q: I want to support FSPA’s Government Relations effort to advance the swimming pool and spa industry, how can I get involved? I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather. Spring break craziness is behind us and the swimming season is underway. The entire state will be embracing their pools, backyards, and aquatic environments. What a great time to spend a couple minutes discussing water safety. The month of May is National Water Safety Month. As we know, in Florida we are surrounded by water. This is why it is so A: important to know how to swim, especially for children. The leading cause of death in children 1 to 5 years old is drowning. Please stop and read that again. No matter how many times I hear that statistic, it just blows me away.
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 5 FSPA PRESIDENT The good news is this is preventable. So, we have some work to do. I truly believe the first step is awareness. I know it may sound a little silly, but most parents are not completely aware of the dangers of water to children. It is alarming just how quickly and silently it can happen. It is important to help inform them of the numerous dangers and the many resources available to prevent a tragedy. Parental supervision is the first line of defense of course. Learning how to swim is next. Survival swimming lessons can be taught as early as six months old. Every parent will have their own comfort level with what age they choose to teach their children to swim. It is important for them to know that children can learn to swim at a very young age. Swimming is a sport kids can learn which can save their lives. There are many other layers of protection available: Door alarms, pool alarms, pool covers, barrier fencing and many more. These are all great additional layers of protection that support the most important one, parental supervision. We must be vigilant in educating each other and our clients. We must never assume that everyone is aware of all the potential dangers of water. The dangers go far beyond the backyard pool. We have lakes, rivers, canals, ponds and beyond. Another aspect that is often unknown is the impact of a water submersion that does not result in a fatality. Serious injuries with a lifetime of potential impact are often sustained. These injuries are often difficult to track to determine the actual impact. Well, here is how we can all help. The Florida Swimming Pool Association created the Florida Swims Foundation many years ago. This Foundation has a philanthropic, life-saving mission of eliminating drownings. The Foundation is dedicated to the funding and implementation of swimming lessons for young children. By supporting and donating to the Foundation, you will help the cause succeed. Many of our members have been actively supporting the Foundation for years. We hope you will too! The Florida Swims Foundation has partnered with Every Child A Swimmer, where the funds are matched to further maximize the impact here in Florida. Your donation is tax deductible and can even be targeted to your local area! Please visit FloridaSwims.org to get involved. I want to thank all of you for reading and considering how we can all help to eliminate this problem. I apologize, no funny chuckle this month. I just couldn't given this month’s subject matter. I will make up for it next month!
6 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR May is Water Safety Month Elizabeth McMurray FSPA Executive Director Elizabeth@FloridaPoolPro.com I hope you all had a fun and positive spring season. As we inch into summer it is a great time to discuss the fact that May is Water Safety Month! As such, I’d like to highlight for you how the FSPA supports education around water. Did you know that the Florida Swimming Pool Association has a charitable Foundation? The Florida Swims Foundation was established by FSPA leadership in 2007. The Foundation has its own Board of Trustees that are comprised of members of the FSPA state Board of Directors, as well as outside individuals as stated within its bylaws. Since 2011 the Florida Swims Foundation has been providing swimming lessons to underprivileged children. Since inception, we have distributed more than $260,753 between our FSPA Chapters and the State Office’s contributions to more than one hundred providers. Countless children have been impacted by these funds. In January 2023, we entered a new partnership with Every Child a Swimmer. Every Child a Swimmer will collaborate with the Florida Swims Foundation by vetting swim lesson providers in our Chapter regions, providing them with grants, and supervising the use of those grant funds. The Florida Swims Foundation will support this effort by continuing to fundraise and send donations to Every Child a Swimmer, who will then match the funds and disseminate them. How can you get involved? There are two main ways you can support education around water. The FIRST and easiest is to donate directly to the Florida Swims Foundation. You can do that by going directly to our Foundation website at www.FloridaSwims.org. The SECOND thing you can do is to preorder our beautiful Swim for Life license plate, which can be found front and center on the same website (you can also see an image of the plate on page 19). The proceeds from the sales of this plate will go directly to funding our
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 7 Florida Swims Foundation programs, such as providing swim lessons. If you have any questions at all about these efforts, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at the state office. We look forward to having your support. Stay (water) safe and enjoy our amazing Florida weather! FSPA Safety Materials Purchase these to give out to your customers! Safety Brochure (to your left is a peak inside) - 50 for $2.50 / Water Watcher Badges with lanyard - $1 each Splash the Safety Penguin temporary tattoos - 50 for $5 Shipping is an additional charge. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
8 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FLORIDA POOL PERMITS Permits provided by HBW / www.hbweekly.com County Name March 2022 March 2023 Alachua County 11 11 Bay County 48 19 Brevard County 90 59 Broward County 123 30 Calhoun County 0 0 Charlotte County 125 102 Citrus County 34 14 Clay County 16 2 Collier County 167 8 Dade County 178 59 Duval County 79 38 Escambia County 8 12 Flagler County 30 29 Franklin County 0 1 Gadsden County 0 0 Gulf County 3 0 Hernando County 23 24 Highlands County 13 7 Hillsborough County 183 93 Holmes County 1 0 Indian River County 39 17 Jackson County 1 2 Jefferson County 0 0 Lake County 44 43 Lee County 206 127 Leon County 19 19 Liberty County 0 0 Manatee County 190 83 Marion County 38 27 Martin County 31 26 Nassau County 32 9 Okaloosa County 34 16 Orange County 148 68 Osceola County 67 35 Palm Beach County 258 91 Pasco County 62 27 Pinellas County 61 65 Polk County 85 42 Putnam County 1 0 Santa Rosa County 56 24 Sarasota County 204 144 Seminole County 10 9 St Johns County 170 48 St Lucie County 57 57 Sumter County 27 70 Volusia County 74 17 Wakulla County 6 3 Walton County 63 39 Washington County 0 0 TOTALS 3115 1616 County Name March 2022 March 2023
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 9 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE In February of this year the Florida Department of Health proposed to tighten the free chlorine concentration range for public swimming pools from 2 mg/L - 10 mg/L to 2 mg/L - 4 mg/L. This proposal was drastic shift in the chlorine range that is afforded to public pool owners and swimming pool service professionals to help ensure a clean, safe swimming environment during peak swimming pool usage times. The net effect of this change would have been less clean swimming pools, more swimming pool closures during peak usage, expensive equipment upgrade costs for commercial pool owners, and increased ongoing service costs for commercial pool owners. The majority of commercial pools in the State of Florida are owned and operated by small to medium size condominium and homeowner’s associations; many of which cannot afford the equipment FSPA successfully stops restrictive Dept. of Health chlorine requirement By Dallas Thiesen, FSPA Sr. Dir. of Government Affairs / Dallas@FloridaPoolPro.com What might be heard at Mount Rushmore about Salt Water Pools... I keep the pH in the correct range. I add conditioner as needed, honestly. I check the salt level and only use AQUASALT. I clean the cell every 2 to 3 months of use. 7.5 x 4.75 Florida Pool Pro
10 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE upgrades and increased service costs that would be needed to meet such a restrictive standard. The FSPA Commercial Council and Service Councils both directed FSPA’s Government Affairs Team to oppose the Department of Health’s proposed change. FSPA collected written testimony frommembers of the Commercial Council and Service Councils who service primarily commercial pools. The testimony given by FSPA members outlined the potential public health risks of this proposed change, the economic impact that it would have on commercial pool owners, and the impact that it would have on swimming pool servicing businesses. The FSPA Government Affairs Team presented this testimony to both the Department of Health and to key legislators who oversee the Department of Health. Based on the testimony by FSPAmembers and conversations between the FSPA Government Affairs Team, regulators, and legislators, the Department of Health updated their free chlorine range proposal to leave the current range for outdoor commercial pools at 2 mg/L - 10 mg/L but capping the free chlorine range for indoor commercial pools at 5 mg/L. Upon review of this new proposal, the FSPA Commercial Council and Service Councils found it to be an acceptable compromise and a win for FPSA and the industry. If you have questions about this or any other government affairs issues, please reach out to FSPA Sr. Dir. of Government Affairs Dallas Thiesen. May 11-13 Jacksonville Taught by Jeff Clarkson This five-year certification allows you to maintain public pools in Florida and is approved by the Dept. of Health. FSPA Members: $300 Nonmembers: $400 www.FSPAcourses.com June 22-24
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 11 DIGGING UP IDEAS SENSAFE ITSSENSAFE SENSAFE_ITS sensafe.com • its@sensafe.com • 800-861-9712 USING ALTERNATIVE POOL SANITIZERS? SALT LOW CHLORINE COPPER BORATE OZONE TEST WITH THE BEST! SIN0721_½ ad.indd 1 6/18/21 4:12 PM Someone once told me that there are no bad hires, only bad managers; that people don't leave bad companies, they leave bad leadership. Over my career I have literally hired and fired at least 1,000 people. My previous position was that of director of operations for a 1,000 seat multi-site call center. I had eight senior managers and 27 team leads reporting directly to me. When you fire someone, you are directly impacting their lives. You are changing the course of history in their story. You are creating a fork in the road. Sometimes it is absolutely necessary for the good of the team and the good of the overall trajectory of the company to let someone go and it is completely unavoidable. At the end of the day you have to protect the golden goose. No sales equals no revenue, no revenue equals no company. I was asked once what I think is a Christian business view point. Well, the bottom line is, you reap what you sow. I believe that as a leader when you fire someone ultimately it is your failure. By Tommy Diaz, 365 Pool Service, Inc. / info@365pools.com Firing an employee
12 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 DIGGING UP IDEAS You were not able to recover that person to meet the vision you had for them when you hired them. You made a bad hiring decision and now you have created a new cost center for the company because you were not able to course correct the negative trajectory of an asset. What does it cost to hire and train and equip a new employee? In some cases when you have to lay people off due to revenue loss, that is your fault too. You didn't meet projections, your forecasting was off, your sales are off, you couldn't close enough deals, it is your fault. I always ask myself a few questions before I fire someone. • Did I do everything in my power to train them properly? • Did I set expectations clearly concerning their job description? • Did I give them all the proper tools they needed to be successful? • Did I give them the opportunity verbally and in writing to clearly guide them when I saw them failing? Did I coach or mentor to course correct? How much is it going to cost the company in time and money to replace them? Can I, without reservation, look back and see that I did everything possible to change the outcome? Firing someone before the holidays is not necessarily taboo. I would, however, never underestimate the power of company culture. As a leader, it is just as important as your revenue goals. If you can create an environment where people love to come to work, productivity is generally a side effect. You must consider what emotional currency will be spent by co-workers at the loss of this employee. At the end of the day, it is cheaper to repair a good piece of equipment than to throw it away and buy a new one. Same for employees. Most important of all, trust your gut.
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 13 COMMERCIAL CONNECTION Hooray, it’s finally time to plaster a pool and get all the final inspections. Not so fast! Has the irrigation guy finished? Is the landscaping completed? Is the shower installed? How about the vacuum breaker hose bibb on the deck? Do the gates self-close and self-latch? Are there floor drains in the restrooms? Does the deck slope properly? These are just some of the issues the pool builder must ensure gets done, that are not in our scope of work, but affect the final inspections. Then imagine the GC informs you that you need to plaster the pool next week! So first we coordinate with the GC and get the issues addressed and then we plaster the pool in three weeks instead. Now it’s time to schedule the final inspections and the Department of Health (DOH) inspection. We have the electrical final inspection and building final inspection scheduled for the same day, however the building guys get there first and say, “I can’t sign Completing a commercial pool By Sam Brown, VP Sales Commercial Division of American Pools and Spas / sbrown@american-pools.com 800.641.9247 www.sgm.cc Cool Blue Blue Super Blue Tahoe Blue French Gray Ivory Classic Specially formulated for commercial installations, Premium Commercial White offers a 10-year extended commercial warranty. This Diamond Brite product meets and exceeds industry and municipal standards for Total Solar Reflectance. Premium Commercial White Verde Aqua Blue Marlin Blue Midnight Blue Onyx Oyster Quartz Blue Quartz Aqua Quartz NEW_FSPA_Daimond Brite_2021_half_page.indd 1 7/9/2021 9:34:30 AM
14 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS off until the electrical guy signs off, reschedule me for tomorrow.” Electrical guy comes in the afternoon and doesn’t go to the construction trailer, so he can’t find the plans and fails you. Wasted day. Let’s start over! Oh wait, DOH is scheduled for tomorrow and we can’t reschedule that one very easily. Let’s have DOH come anyway, we can send them the pool final, fence final, and restroom building final later. Mr. GC, can you give me the fence final and restroom building final? What? You don’t have a fence permit and the restroom final is on hold until the pool final is completed? I’m sure that all of you have gone through this scenario in one form or another. So, how do you handle the coordination dance with the GC and his other trades, the building departments, and the DOH, especially when each municipality and DOH inspectors vary in their processes? You go first. No, you go first. How do we get everyone on the same page? Communication, coordination, and teamwork are key. Setting expectations early on with the GC/owner can help. Giving the GC a checklist addressing the things that affect the pool finals that are not in our scope is a great starting point. Conversations with onsite superintendents to keep other trades coordinated and on schedule is another must. As the project wraps up, training your field staff in what the DOH looks for is also key. Diaper changing tables and the proper pool rules sign seem to get us frequently. Having one of your staff use the form that the DOH uses for the inspection is a great way to catch potential deficiencies that the DOH may find. So, how do you get the various municipality inspectors and DOH to be consistent? Have you ever gotten this note during your permit review? “Pool drains cannot discharge to the sani tary sewer sys tem. However, pool backwash can
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 15 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS discharge to the sanitary sewer system. Pool drains are specifically precluded from connections to the sanitary sewer system.” What does that even mean? Are they okay taking back the dirty water, but not the clean? Don’t they know that a pool drain is connected internally to the pool circulation system? Some DOH’s give you an “initial authorization for use” (which is good for 30 days) while others do not, and still others make the owner pay for the annual operating permit before the inspection can be completed. There are so many inconsistencies, it would take me all day to list them, and I would still miss half of them. So how do we fix them? It would be nice if the DOH could get all their inspectors on the same page and under the same umbrella. Currently the State of Florida runs 44 of the 67 counties while the other 23 counties are run somewhat independently. I know that they get their funding differently, but isn’t it all tax money? Then, it would be great if the DOH could train all the various municipality inspectors and get them all in unison. I know, I know, the DOH is spread thin as it is. But what a wonderful world it would be… Precision Control & BECS Controller Line • Reliable, 30 Year Track Record • All Items in Stock for Immediate Shipment • In-Field Service & Repair by Factory Techs • Leaders in Remote Control & Communication • ORP & Direct Reading PPM • Control Systems at Every Price Level Commercial Energy Specialists Excellence inWater Quality Control Since 1983 FL/Carribean Master Distributor/Service Center www.CESWaterQuality.com 800-940-1557
16 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 Once upon a time, there was a man named Jack who just moved to Florida. He had always dreamed of living in a warm and sunny place, and now his dream had come true. However, there was one thing that he didn't anticipate - he had to take care of a swimming pool for the first time. Jack had never owned a swimming pool before, and he had no idea how to maintain it. He had heard that it could be a lot of work, but he didn't expect it to be this complicated. The first thing he did was to consult his HOA president to find out how to take care of a swimming pool. The HOA president was clueless about pool care, but he did point out that Jack’s patio as well as his roof tiles were in need of pressure cleaning per HOA policy. Next, Jack went on the internet and read hundreds of articles and watched countless videos, but he still felt overwhelmed. There were so many things to consider - the pH balance, chlorine levels, pump operation, and so on. He had no idea how to measure these things, let alone fix them. Despite his confusion, Jack was determined to keep his pool in good condition. He went back to the internet where he found a friendly and knowledgeable pool professional named Mickey. Mickey helped Jack to understand the basics of pool maintenance and gave him some tips on how to keep his pool clean and healthy. With Mickey’s guidance, Jack learned how to test the water and adjust the chemicals, and even gave him the name of a great pressure spraying company recommended by his other customers. This interaction started a long, trusting business relationship with Jack, who ultimately called Mickey for anything with which he was concerned. The calls were pool related sometimes, but mostly Jack would ask about local businesses, restaurants, and places to meet people. Mickey happily helped out because he knew that his good deeds were paying it forward. With the influx of new residents in Florida, there are a lot of Jacks who could use our help. Don’t be shy. Teaching someone the correct way to maintain their pool won’t cost you a thing. Who knows, maybe Jack will teach you a thing or two. Maybe he will become the HOA president and recommend your company to others with pool questions. You will be glad that you know Jack. New Florida friends By Mickey Sigmon, Pool Pro, Inc. / poolproinc@yahoo.com THE SCOOP ON SERVICE
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 17 FSPA SAIL AWAY Double Occupancy: $1,895* Single Occupancy: $1,695* *All rooms are ocean view balcony; price includes taxes & gratuities FSPASAILAWAY.COM AUGUST 3 - 7 Put life on cruise control... Education classes Miami|Grand Turk Private cocktail parties Industry networking And MORE! Weekend cruise aboard the Carnival Sunrise! Register by May 8 for guaranteed cabin space!
18 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS THANK YOU, INSTRUCTORS Thank you to our volunteer instructors The success of our large continuing education offering at the 2023 Everything Under the Sun Expo was bolstered by they incredible volunteer instructors who taught more than 60 courses over three days to more than 1,000 attendees. Thank you for helping advance the pool industry! Sean Assam AquaCal AutoPilor, Inc. Steve Barnes AquaStar Pool Products Laura Castanza Team Horner Rudy Castro Fluidra Don Cesarone Lucas Lagoons Miguel Chavez Orenda Technologies Mike Childress Pentair Rick Coffey Lo-Chlor, LLC Gary Crayton Pool Troopers Brian Dean Sunshine 811 Jim Dickson Adams and Reese, LLP Alex Fletcher AquaWorx, Inc Dori Gallagher AquaCal AutoPilot, Inc. David Griffiths Insurance by Ken Brown Robbie Hayduk Commercial Energy Specialists Rick Howard Rick's Pool Service Jennifer Labuda Clear Comfort Brad Manning AquaCal AutoPilot, Inc. Darren Merlob LeakTronics Jody O'Grady Taylor Water Technologies Bruce Porter SWAT Marketing David Pruette David Pruette Electrical Services Joan Roca Watershape University Scott Roodbergen Waterway Plastics Rachel Rutter Taylor Technologies, Inc. Dan Sizelove Aquatherm Matt Stiles Commercial Energy Specialists Joe Sweazy Orenda Technologies Kerry Tait Insurance by Ken Brown Albert Underwood My Aqua Blue Jeffrey Winter Valcon Industries, Inc. Sean Yakicic Amerisure Save the Date! February 23-24, 2024 Orange County Convention Center, Orlando
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 19 VOLUNTEERS Eva Adcock Best Pools of Brevard Inc Cathie Alderman AquaCal AutoPilot Adam Alstott Tropical Pools, Inc. Tony Arredondo TampaPoolPro.com Don Ball The Pool Works of Florida Jim Batts The Batts Company Deidre Bedford West Coast Pools Gregg Benson AquaCal AutoPilot James Bingold Proline Distributors Randy Bourbeau Aquatic Pool Repair Greg Bowers Pinch A Penny #030 Ken Brown Insurance by Ken Brown Michael Canto Fun State Pools Inc. Laura Castanza Team Horner Tim Conroy Team Horner Chuck Coone Pool Corp Stephen Corbett Red Rhino Leak Detection Brian Curts Eagle Pools Mike Dooley Team Horner Jason Draime Jason Draime, Inc. Erik Eikevik Ike's Carter Pool Companies John Ellsworth AquaTech Pools GC Bob Ely All-American Decks & Spas Ben Evans American Pools & Spas Alex Fletcher AquaWorx Debi Garner Pools by John Garner Scott Griswold Hula Pools Stephen Hackl Hackl Pool Construction Cole Hairston USI Insurance Services Bill Hodgkins IRM Payroll Services, Rick Howard Rick's Pool Service Malinda Howard Rick's Pool Service Dylan Kain HornerXpress Misty Knight Fluidra Jeff Lucas Ed's Spas Solar & Pools, Inc. Jerry Mason Team Horner Mauread Miller Palm City Pool & Spa Robert Miller Palm City Pool & Spa, Inc. Wayne Moomjian Custom Pools by Design Edward Morse Sunshine Pools Jonathan Mosher Signet Pool Ken Moyer Brenntag Dino Muggeo Dino's Pool Service Rick Myers Team Horner Debbie Pflug American Leak Detection David Pruette David Pruette Electrical Services Kelly Quickel New Dawn Electric Jackson Reeves Odyssey Manufacturing Rob Sanger Galaxy Pools William Shrock Magic Marcite LLC Cameron Sickinger Shamrock Pool Services Mickey Sigmon Pool Pro Inc. James Smith LaGasse Pool Construction Kelsie Taggart Signature Pools & Spas Scott Taggart Signature Pools and Spas Stephanie Taggart Signature Pools and Spas Mark Turner Backyard Designs, Inc. Ericka Villegas Jason Draime, Inc. Holly Waldhauer Mermaid Lagoons, Inc. Roy Waldhauer Waldhauer Pools Judith Williams SCP Les Williams Aloha Pools Shawn Wiseman Wiseman Pools Thank you to our education volunteers!
20 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS By David Griffiths, Insurance by Ken Brown / dgriffiths@insbykenbrown.com Why you should perform background checks A Pre-Employment Background Check has become, in this day and time, a matter of necessity. Too many applicants make false claims on their job applications and resumes or attempt to cover up prior criminal activity. Background checks often times turn up at least one serious discrepancy. Everyone has their favorite story about falsified credentials and phony work experience. Stories like these can be avoided by careful applicant background screening. Some of the benefits of comprehensive employment background screening include increased applicant and new hire quality, reduced workplace violence, reduced negligent hiring liability, reduced losses from employee dishonesty, making the right hire the first time, and avoiding negative publicity. The bottom line is that pre-employment background checks help an organization be more successful. In turn, that means greater profits. A Better Applicant One major benefit of background checks that most clients see is an increase in applicant quality. A complete employee screening process: • Results in fewer applications with serious discrepancies • Discourages applicants who are trying to hide something • Increases applications from applicants who want to work in a safe environment • Increases the quality of new hires due to an improved applicant pool and improved selection process Reduce Workplace Violence According to a survey conducted by the US Dept of Justice, 1.75 million days of work are lost each year by victims of workplace violence. The cost in lost wages account for about $55 million per year. When less direct, but further-reaching costs are considered such as lost productivity, legal expenses, and diminished public image, the annual cost of workplace violence could measure in the billions. Employers have a moral and legal obligation to provide a safe work
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 21 WWW.POOLLOAN.NET 9 0 4 - 6 8 6 - 1 7 0 2
22 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 INSURANCE UPDATE environment. Therefore, knowing whether a potential employee has been involved in criminal activity (such as drug or other substance abuse, reckless behavior, dishonesty, theft, or dangerous and violent behaviors) allows the employer to determine if an applicant is appropriate for the job and work environment. It also helps the employer determine if the applicant poses a potential threat to other employees. Prior history is a good predictor of future performance. Protection Against Negligent Hiring Liability Negligent hiring liability holds employers responsible both for what they do know and what they should have known about their employees. It can even hold employers responsible for employees’ actions off the job. Courts have repeatedly affirmed that employers have a duty to exercise reasonable care in hiring individuals who, because of the nature of their employment, may pose a threat to the public. Background checks allow an employer to better determine if an applicant poses a potential threat to other employees or customers. An employer is generally expected by the public, the law, and the courts to be extra-vigilant when screening employees. Take special notice if employees... • Have access to consumers' financial, medical, or personal information • Have access to consumers' living quarters or residences • Work with the infirm, the elderly, or children • Work with hazardous materials • Are responsible for the safety of themselves and others Reduce Employee Dishonesty The typical organization loses 5% of its annual revenue to occupational fraud. The median loss caused by occupational fraud was $140,000. More than one-fifth of fraud cases caused losses of at least $1 million. Small organizations are disproportionately victimized by occupational fraud. Employee theft and dishonesty can also reduce production, damage public confidence, destroy employer reputation, and negatively affect employee morale. Theft and fraud is something of which employers are aware but sometimes overlook. The true cost of these crimes is not well known. However, approximately 30% of employees admit to stealing from their employers. The guilty are not those one would expect: 41.2% are managers, 39% are
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 23 INSURANCE UPDATE employees, and 19.3% are owners or executives. Reduced Employee Turnover: Hire the Right People Pre-Employment Background Checks help screen in employees who stay longer because employers are able to make the "Right Hire" the first time. Employers are able to hire the right people by increasing the accurate and objective information available to hiring managers. The information provided by a comprehensive background check enables employers to build a competent workforce and reduce the likelihood of hiring dishonest employees and employees with drug and alcohol problems. Gathering information frommultiple sources provides a clearer understanding of the applicant's qualifications and reduces an employer's risks. According to studies, the replacement cost of a bad hire is 1 to 5 times the salary of the job in question. Consider the direct and indirect cost of recruiting and hiring, the direct and indirect cost of training, and the wasted wages and benefits. Also consider the management, administrative, and legal costs of a bad hire, plus the direct and indirect cost of damaged or stolen funds, materials, equipment, work environment, customer goodwill, and employer reputation. FSPA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE! DEADLINE: JUNE 30 BY 5PM *SCHOLARSHIPS OPEN TO DEPENDENTS OF OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES OF FSPA MEMBER COMPANIES ONLY FloridaPoolPro.com/Scholarship* COLLEGE FUNDS TRADE SCHOOL AND MORE!
24 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 Verifying applicant claims helps the employer make the right hire the first time and is clearly worth the investment in a thorough background check. Avoid Negative Publicity Bad publicity caused by an errant employee or volunteer can severely damage an organization’s reputation with its funding sources, its constituency, and the public. This negative impact on funding and reputation can cripple an organization to the point of closure. In many cases there is little difference in the eyes of the public or the law between employees who perform essential functions of an organization. The public, courts, and regulatory agencies expect extra vigilance during the INSURANCE UPDATE Certi cate of Completion of this course replaces 3 years experience and quali es you to take the Master Quali er Exam through the FL Dept. of Agriculture Instructor: Jason Nokk, Gas Training Services | This class is manufacturer endorsed by Hayward Pool Products Be on your way to becoming an LP Gas Master Quali er LP Gas Master Quali er – Manufacturer Endorsed by Hayward Wednesday, April 26 / 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. FSPA T.E.C. Center - Sarasota FSPA Member: $475 \ Non-member: $575 Find the registration button at www.FSPACourses.com LP Gas Laws & Rules Friday, May 26 / 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (4hrs) FSPA Member: $200 \ Non-member: $250 T·E·C· Center Technology•Education•Careers LP Gas - Florida Fuel Gas Code Friday, July 7 / 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (4hrs) FSPA Member: $200 \ Non-member: $250 LP Gas Laws & Rules Thursday, August 17 / 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (4hrs) FSPA Member: $200 \ Non-member: $250 www.FSPACourses.com
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 25 INSURANCE UPDATE selection process of those who will be working in settings that involve contact with children as well as those who will have access to residences. Such staff should be carefully screened. Proper background checks greatly reduce the likelihood of hiring a bad employee or volunteer, and thus they reduce the likelihood of negative publicity. The Bottom Line: Success The bottom line is that pre-employment background checks help an organization bemore successful. Thorough background checks help employers: • Reduce the high cost of turnover by screening in employees who stay longer. • Reduce losses from employee theft, employee fraud, drug and alcohol abuse, absenteeism, workplace violence, and litigation. • Avoid wasted benefits. • Reduce training and employee development costs. • Increase productivity through hiring employees with better work habits, attitudes, policies, and practices. • Enhance professionalism by "screening in" appropriate workplace attitudes. The benefits of Background checks far outweigh the expense. That said, there are some public record sites which can provide limited information as follows: • National Sex Offender Registry:www.nsopw.gov • Social Security Validator: www.ssnvalidator.com/default.aspx • State and County Free Public Records Searches: Black Book Online www.blackbookonline.info • U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service: E-VERIFY www.uscis.gov/portal/siteuscis/ If there is any way we at Insurance by Ken Brown can assist your efforts, please let us know.
26 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS Broward Chapter Coordinator: Diane Michael (386) 538-1083 FSPABroward@FloridaPoolPro.com www.FSPABroward.com At the time of writing this, the Chapter meeting had not yet taken place. Pictures will be posted on our Chapter Facebook page after April 19. We want to thank everyone for their support of the Chapter meeting in May. Special thanks to Rick Myers and Dr. Coffey, Lo-Chlor, for sponsoring the night. Dr. Coffey, the chemist who made most of the Lo-Chlor products presented The Broward Chapter says thank you to everyone who attended our Behind-the-Scenes Tour for the Chapter Meeting in March. The Broward Chapter and the new volunteer President Don Cesarone III thanked and honored Rick Myers for his 2022 leadership as Chapter president along with the state Executive Committee presenting Dr. Bill Kent a Lifetime Achievement Award for tireless support of FSPA. at the Chapter meeting on April 19. This was a great opportunity to invite your employees to see if they can "stump the chemist!" At tendees learned a bi t of technical information about chlorine and pool chlorine mysteries that will help reduce blood pressure and increase profits. Wednesday, March 15, Chapter members gathered to get a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center. After the tour of the new facility, members from the FSPAExecutive Committee were present to honor Dr. Bill Kent. Thank you to them for attending and to Dr. Kent for his tireless support of Florida Swims Foundation, Every Child a Swimmer and so many others charitable causes and missions around the world! We are so honored to have Bill in our local Chapter and are forever grateful for his endless contributions of talent,
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 27 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS Help kids swim for life! Funds support free swim lessons! Pre-order your license plate at SwimforLifeFlorida.org $30* / year with $25 going directly to the Florida Swims Foundation *Additional fees first year
28 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS time, resources, funds, and friendship! Thank you to Casey McGovern for giving us an update on Every Child a Swimmer. Thank you to our new volunteer Chapter President Don Cesarone III, Aquatic Consulting Engineers, Inc., who honored Rick Myers, Lo-Chlor, for his 2022 leadership as the chapter president. Rick led the Chapter on focused, successful strides that carried us into another great year! He was inducted into the 2023 FSPA Hall of Fame. Thank you for everything, Rick! Thank you to all who helped set up and break down! We so appreciate your time and willingness to always pitch in! Check out the beautiful pictures of the night on the Chapter Facebook page and while you’re there please be sure to like and follow our Chapter page. Members making news. Congrats to Ike’s Carter Pool Companies who garnered five Design Awards including: Bronze Award – Residential Pool 501 square feet and over; Silver Award – Residential Pool 501 square feet and over; Gold Award – Residential Pool 501 square feet and over; Technical Award; and Bronze Award – Residential Pool Vanishing Edge. Read about other awards your fellow Chapter Members received in the March issue of Florida Pool Prosm which can be found online at https://industry. FloridaPoolPro.com. Thank you so much to Pentair for choosing to be a 2023 Annual Sponsor again this year! We appreciate your continued support! If you want to sponsor a meeting, these spots will go fast so please contact Diane for more details. As always, we ask that the program be educational in format and that you help our members learn more about your business and ways to support one another. The annual sponsorship support helps the Chapter Board of Directors to run the Chapter, donate heavily to important programs like Florida Swims Foundation, PIPAC fund, the FSPA Scholarship Fund and much more. Thank you for your interest! All Chapter Meetings are from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. and we do our best to host these meetings on the third Wednesday of the month if possible. If there’s any change in that format, we will note it below. Currently, our meetings are held at Tropical Acres, 2500 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale, unless otherwise stated but we are looking for another venue to welcome us. Please contact Diane if you know a venue that has a private room that can fit 40 people.
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 29 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS Thank you! We are finalizing this year’s calendar. Please save the dates below. Thank you! May 17 - National Water Safety Month: Drowning Prevention Presentation by the Broward Health Department hosted at Aquachamps Swim School, Chapter meetings on June 21, July 19, August 16, and September 20; Harvest Tabletop October 18 or 26; November 15 - no meeting; and Annual Casino Night on December 1. Thank you for your continued support of the growing BrowardChapter! Please like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/FSPABroward and our Instagram @FSPABrowardChapter. We appreciate your continued support! Central Florida Chapter Coordinator: Sonja Dickey (941) 952-9293 FSPACentralFlorida@FloridaPoolPro.com www.FSPACentralFlorida.com RSVP today! May 31 we will be hosting an LP Gas class at 6:00 p.m. at HornerXpress. $50 for FSPAmembers, $75 for non-members. See you there! HornerXpress presents the 6th Annual Casino Night and Silent Auction on September 29 at 7:00 p.m. at Dubsdread Country Club. Thank you to our sponsors so far: HornerXpress, Premier Pools of Central Florida, Water Creations and National Pool Route Sales. This is just the start in our pursuit to raise money for education and safety around water, with an emphasis on the Every Child A Swimmer program. Sponsorships are available. Interested in donating an auction item? Contact Sonja for more information. The nex t Chap t er Board mee t i ng , wh i ch a l l member s are encouraged to at tend, wi l l be Wednesday, May 31 at 5:00 p.m. at HornerXpress - Longwood, followed by the LP gas class at 6:00 p.m. Look forward to seeing you all there. Your 2023 Directors are working on exciting and educational events. Please let us hear from you with any suggestions for speakers or events. If you haven’t already, please like our Facebook page at FSPA Central Florida Chapter to keep up with upcoming events and meetings.
30 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS Charlotte Harbor Chapter Coordinator: Sonja Dickey (941) 952-9293 FSPACharlotteHarbor@FloridaPoolPro.com www.FSPACharlotteHarbor.com Thank you, Ken Moyer, Brenntag, for teaching a service truck safety CE class in March. We had a full house! On April 18 at Pioneers Pizza Dallas Theisen, FSPASr. Dir. of Government Affairs, talked to us about code specific issues happening in Charlotte County. Thank you, Dallas, for your knowledge! We appreciate you! Fo r e ! Be t t e r Poo l s and Spas p r e s en t s t he Chap t e r ’ s Annual Golf Tournament at Heron Creek Country Club on May 6. Thank you to the following sponsors for making this event take place: Better Pools & Spas, Brenntag, HornerXpress, Stenner Pump, Just Against Children Drowning, Diamond Brite, National Pool Route Sales, Hayward, Ledge Lounger, Pool Corp, Universal White Cement, Performance Link, Superior Pools of SW FL, Century, Odyssey Mfg, Pentair, Barb’s Pool Service, IPSSA, Lo-Chlor, Premix Marbletite, Aqua Leak Detection and Raypak. If you read this before May 6, please join us out on the greens. The more the merrier! On June 14 be ready to listen to Dallas Theisen, FSPASr. Dir. of Government The Charlotte Harbor Chapter held a CE course on service truck safety in March. Affairs, teach Alternative Dispute Resolution (2 hr., meets business pract ices requi rement , CILB #0007785 Florida Pool & Spa Association d/b/aFloridaSwimming PoolAssociation CILBProvidership #0000917). The course is at the FSPA T.E.C. Center in Sarasota. Watch your inbox for details. Save the date! July 18, Scott Bartlett will join us to give us the scoop on Jack’s Magic. Thenext Chapter Boardmeeting, which all members are encouraged
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 31 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS to attend, will be June 14 at 5:00 p.m. at Pioneers Pizza, 4560 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte. Your 2023 Board is working on exciting and educational events. Please let us hear from you with any suggestions for speakers or events. If you haven’t already, please like our Facebook page at FSPA Charlotte Harbor Chapter to keep up with upcoming events and meetings. East Central Florida Chapter Coordinator: Diane Michael (386) 538-1083 FSPAEastCentralFlorida@FloridaPoolPro.com www.FSPAEastCentral.com Thank you to WaterSafe for hosting the Chapter meeting in April. More details about their event happening on May 20 will be distributed to the Chapter via email. Please be sure you’re receiving the Chapter emails. Check your junk mail if you’re not or email Diane and let her know. Members making news! The Florida Swimming Pool Association announced the 2023 Design Awards winners. Congrats to East Coast Pools & Spas, Ormond Beach, for earning a Silver Award for Residential Pool Vanishing Edge and CM Custom Pool Designs, Ormond Beach, for earning a Gold Award for Residential Pool Restoration. Read about other awards your fellow Chapter Members received in the March issue of Florida Pool Prosm online at https://industry.floridapoolpro.com. We also are happy to let you know that our volunteer vice president was featured on Pool Magazine - Podcasts for the Pool Industry. The title is “Holly Waldhauer Is Turning Heads With Her Incredible Tile Work.” Thank you so much to our volunteer co-chairs Kerry Tait, Insurance by Ken Brown, and Keith Quint, Gorman Company. We are ready to sign you up for your teams or sponsorship of our Annual Golf Tournament happening Friday, May 19 at Halifax Plantation. Check-in is at noon with a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. Forms have been emailed to the Chapter. We have many contests that need sponsorship and we are looking to confirm teams now. You will receive a discounted price if you sign up early. We need to be prepared, so if you don't get your form and payment in before May 5 there will be an extra fee for processing – so sign up today.
32 Florida Pool Prosm • May 2023 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS You may easily fill out the forms and pay on Square with the forms sent via email to the Chapter. Thank you for your continued support of our Annual Golf Tournament! AllChaptermeetingsareheld thesecondTuesdayof themonth from6:30p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Houligans, 1725 W International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, unless otherwise stated. Individuals may purchase their own dinner at these meetings. Future members – the Chapter would like to buy your first dinner with us to get to know everyone. Guests are welcome to attend two meetings prior to joining. Your Board has decided to go with a hybrid approach to this year's meetings and events. If you want to sponsor or volunteer for 2023, please let Di know! We appreciate your continued support! May 9 there won’t be a meeting due to the Golf Tournament; May 19 is the Annual Golf Tournament – seeking sponsors, teams and support; June 13 is a presentation by Pentair; July 11 – enjoy the summer, no meeting! August 8 is a Tabletop & Auction in Palm Coast; September 12 is a safety CE by Kerry Tait, Insurance by Ken Brown; October 10 Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Aqua Comfort hosted by Gorman Company; November 14 is a presentation by Jack’s Magic; and December 8 is a Holiday Party / Casino Night. Please likeour Facebook pagewww.facebook.com/FSPAEastCentralChapter and our Instagram @FSPAEastCentralChapter. Thank you for your continued support! Florida Gulf Coast Chapter Coordinator: Kelly Sauro (941) 952-9293 FSPAFloridaGulfCoast@FloridaPoolPro.com www.FSPAGulfCoast.com Thank you to Pentair for sponsoring the Chapter meeting on April 12. Nestor Reyes, Kevin Burns, Gustavo Mojica and Nicky Milosevich gave an informative presentation. We learned about Pentair’s new products including an in-floor cleaning system. They were able to answer many questions on troubleshooting as well as demo the new products. Congratulations goes to Kristie Larsh, Pool Scouts of Cape Coral, for winning a free Pentair pump! We are excited about our upcoming Top Golf Event! It will be held Wednesday, May 10 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Top Golf Fort Myers. Please
May 2023 • Florida Pool Prosm 33 FSPA CHAPTER NEWS mark your calendars and plan to join us for some fun! Watch your inbox for details to register. The next Chapter meeting is Wednesday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Famous Dave’s, Fort Myers. All members are encouraged to attend and we hope to see you there! If you haven’t already, please like our Facebook page at FSPA FL Gulf Coast Chapter to keep up with upcoming events and meetings. Nestor Reyes, Pentair, speaking at the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter meeting. Staff from Pentair and the A & E Pools team were at the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter meeting. Florida West Coast Chapter Coordinator: Malinda Howard (727) 638-6072 FSPAFloridaWestCoast@FloridaPoolPro.com www.FSPAWestCoast.com The Chapter Board met on Tuesday, April 4 at Queen’s Pizza in Clearwater. Thank you to Ian Ferguson and Gorman Company Clearwater for sponsoring the lunch. Thank you also to Casey McGovern with Every Child a Swimmer for being our special guest and updating us on their efforts. The next Chapter Board of Directors Meeting will be held at noon Tuesday, May 2 at the Bayou Club, 7979 Bayou Club Blvd., Largo. Chapter Board of Directors meetings are usually scheduled for the first Tuesday of the month. All Chapter members are welcome to attend. We are always interested in hearing your ideas for Chapter meetings and programs. There’s still time to put your team(s) together for the Florida West Coast Chapter’s Annual Golf Tournament! This year’s tournament will be held Saturday, May 13, at Lansbrook Golf Club in Palm Harbor. The tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. Lunch and awards will follow play.
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