NSPI school plans enter final stages.

A National Spa & Pool Institute plan to establish a permanent pool and spa education center is on track as organizers seek financial aid from industry members.

NSPI Region 11, with assistance from the national Service Council, plans to build a school in the Sacramento, Calif., area. The facility would be a place where industry members could attend NSPI certification classes. Contributing manufacturers also could use the school to teach seminars on their own products.

It is hoped that the Sacramento facility could act as a prototype for centers across the country.

Michael Orr, the NSPI Service Council member heading up the project, said he already has a financial commitment from Sta-Rite Industries and expects to receive similar support from Pentair Pool Products, Hayward Pool Products and Jandy.

"I'll be meeting with those companies at the International Expo in New Orleans," he said, "but they've already said they're interested."

Packets seeking financial assistance recently were mailed to NSPI members and the pool and spa industry.

To defray the cost of tuition, some distributors have pledged to donate 1 1/2 percent of purchases made by students. "The hope is that [students] will be working for someone or starting their own business and be purchasing stuff from these local distributors," Orr explained.

Projected facility costs are $136,000 for the first year. "But operating costs will go down after two years because by then, a lot of the infrastructure will be in place," Orr noted.

Originally, he had wanted to have the building set up by Dec. 1 and begin operations by Feb. 1. "But my plans might not be realistic under the current circumstances," Orr said, referring to NSPI Chapter 11 proceedings. "They really can't start anything new right now."