This open letter is for those of you who have expressed your concern, disappointment and downright anger (and you know who you are) to the board, our town clerk, and myself regarding the delay in the opening of the Andes pool.
It’s unfortunate we are not clairvoyant, as we would then have been able to foresee a problem prior to July 4th and saved all of us from the angry rhetoric, indicating “we put a damper on some of your 4th of July plans”.
Since last September, we have been planning the day’s opening of the pool, from increasing the budget for the pool, increasing the starting salaries for the life guards, to a sign on bonus, and paying for most of the required certification to make the job more attractive, as it is getting more and more difficult to recruit individuals who would like to serve as lifeguards.
However, we could not have planned for the bursting of a pipe, just before graduation, (Friday night). We made every effort to get a service person immediately, and apparently they did not plan on the pipe bursting either, as they were unable to evaluate the situation until Saturday.
On Tuesday, the servicemen were able to replace the piping with PVC. During the time the filtration system was shut down, the chemicals were unable to continue to purify the pool water; couple that with the heat, a perfect recipe for water stagnation to occur and create a breeding ground for bacteria.
The filtering system has now been running the way it is supposed to, and the water is clearing. Once the PH level is where it should be, and the pool is crystal clear we will then be able to open the pool to the community. Until then, the pool will remain closed.
Under no circumstances will the board or I approve the opening of the Andes Pool where a potential safety and or health hazard is a concern.
We offer no apology for the delay in the pool opening. We would rather be subject to the ranting and disparaging remarks, than to put our community, especially our children, at a potential health risk.