By Jay Socol, Public Communications Director
This edition of the podcast is one where our guest is being interviewed for the very first time — but we’re actually saying goodbye.
Vera Solis served as College Station’s pools supervisor for 30 years. In this interview — recorded on her next to last day with the city — Vera talked about how she approached the profession, her legacy, where College Station could use another pool, and what her next adventure is all about.
Run time: 23:00
- 00:00 – Opening comments.
- 00:40 – Her start with College Station and in the aquatics industry.
- 02:26 – Water activities were part of her own childhood.
- 03:40 – What College Station Aquatics looked like in the mid-1980s.
- 05:40 – How did you set out to change things?
- 08:20 – Any changes in how you do what you do?
- 09:50 – Will we always have public pools?
- 12:20 – About the safety of College Station pools.
- 14:00 – Proudest moments from the past 30 years.
- 16:00 – Other highlights.
- 16:50 – What did you NOT accomplish that you hope the next person does? (spoiler: establish another pool…)
- 17:50 – What else would be nice? (yet another spoiler: water park)
- 19:35 – What’s your legacy?
- 20:15 – You’re now going to do what?
- 21:30 – Final thoughts.
Click below to listen. If Soundcloud doesn’t play in your older version of Internet Explorer, click here to hear to the audio file from your system.
Jay Socol (@jaysocol) is in his eighth year as College Station’s public communications director. A 1991 graduate of Texas A&M. Jay has also been communications director for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, public information officer for the City of Bryan, and news director at several Bryan-College Station area radio stations. A native of Breckenridge, he also serves as president of the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers.
If you found value in this blog post, please share it with your social network and friends!
