Taking Flak

Started by LetA • 14 replies • 508 views

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LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Anyone else taking flak for not opening your pool, gym or splash pad? How are you handling the dissent?
One adjoining community has already announced they will not open the pool for the rest of the year.
The local health department released some guidelines to reopen public and common interest community aquatic facilities. One of the hang-ups is a reservation system. Per guidelines the health department requires reservations be made to use the pool, that is on top of cleaning and sanitizing. We have reached out to the health department to get SOLID requirements. Like other nearby communities, we are not in the financial capacity to open the pool without significantly raising assessments next year.

Your thoughts?

AnnT5 (Texas)
Posts: 4

Posted:

Do you have a way to communicate that to homeowners or maybe you could post notice at the pool?

State that the HOA could not meet Health Department rules to reopen without significant
costs that are not in the current budget. The HOA board will evaluate the cost of compliance
for discussion of next year's assessments. Note that in the meantime, people could use
the local city or YMCA or whatever pool

You'll soon find out if people want to pay more for use of the pool.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

I like Ann's advice. It should be accompanied by numbers that show much more it would cost the association to do the extra that need to be done to ensure everyone's safety. Compare that to what it would normally cost if the 'rona didn't exist. If someone has a better idea on what to do without costs skyrocketing, tell them to send in their suggestions for the board to consider.

Better yet - those who want to use the pool or whatever should be willing to sign a waiver in which they release the association from liability - and their guests would also have to sign it. Then charge a surcharge to cover the additional costs - if people reAlly want to use these amenities, they should be willing to pay and roll the dice with their health.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AnnT5 on 06/03/2020 11:58 AM
Do you have a way to communicate that to homeowners or maybe you could post notice at the pool?

State that the HOA could not meet Health Department rules to reopen without significant
costs that are not in the current budget. The HOA board will evaluate the cost of compliance
for discussion of next year's assessments. Note that in the meantime, people could use
the local city or YMCA or whatever pool

You'll soon find out if people want to pay more for use of the pool.

Yes we've done that via peer to peer app on Nextdoor.

It is not fair to raise assessments on everyone because of a limited few dissidents. Secondly, our insurance carrier does not allow for us to have liability waivers.

ND (PA)
Posts: 792

Posted:

You're in Nevada, entering a summer where more people than ever will probably be at home throughout the summer. We'll likely see less people vacationing than normal and more people still working from home during the day. You're probably looking at more than a few folks interested in using the pool if it's possible.

I don't think it's unfair for people to want to use an amenity that they pay for if it's possible while still following recommended guidelines. Some may be willing to pay a bit more to help make it happen (cheaper and more convenient than joining the YMCA or other carea club).

If too much for the HOA Board to research, gather a small group of the interested pool people and have them investigate what needs to be done to properly open and operate the pool . . . and obviously how much it will cost. Have them come up with a few courses of action. If there's room in the budget to make it happen, then why not do it (plenty of places are opening back up following the same guidelines). If something else can be put off until next year to help make the pool opening happen this year, then you can do that.

There's probably scheduling apps that you can use which wouldn't cost much. And if mostly added cost is to hire someone else to regularly sanitize and enforce social distancing, then perhaps the added cost won't really be too much.

Until you start talking numbers though . . . you don't really know what is or isn't possible.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ND on 06/03/2020 12:56 PM
You're in Nevada, entering a summer where more people than ever will probably be at home throughout the summer. We'll likely see less people vacationing than normal and more people still working from home during the day. You're probably looking at more than a few folks interested in using the pool if it's possible.

I don't think it's unfair for people to want to use an amenity that they pay for if it's possible while still following recommended guidelines. Some may be willing to pay a bit more to help make it happen (cheaper and more convenient than joining the YMCA or other carea club).

If too much for the HOA Board to research, gather a small group of the interested pool people and have them investigate what needs to be done to properly open and operate the pool . . . and obviously how much it will cost. Have them come up with a few courses of action. If there's room in the budget to make it happen, then why not do it (plenty of places are opening back up following the same guidelines). If something else can be put off until next year to help make the pool opening happen this year, then you can do that.

There's probably scheduling apps that you can use which wouldn't cost much. And if mostly added cost is to hire someone else to regularly sanitize and enforce social distancing, then perhaps the added cost won't really be too much.

Until you start talking numbers though . . . you don't really know what is or isn't possible.

Sound advice. Also allow me to add, if you do open have signs made up basically say: USERS ASSUME ALL RISK.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

I think as we move around this "new normal" we may need to make different decisions/actions. Do not think it's safe enough to open a pool yet. Still will have the same expenses of running an empty unused pool as an open one mostly. It still has to be maintained, chemicals, and cleaned. Can't empty it. An empty pool will damage it and can risk collapse.

My opinion IF one decides to open their pool in next coming weeks, it should be at own risk. Plus subject to Virus testing. Do not see anything wrong with requesting virus test results even though you can catch it at anytime. Maybe it will sink in that taking a test is the responsible thing to do if you want to mingle.

We have a church here that required all members to take a virus check before they can go back to services. The church had the testing people come to their parking lot to administer testing. The results would be in by time services resumed. Don't see why that can't apply to other publicly shared areas in HOA in my opinion.

Former HOA President

MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459

Posted:

Let,
I just got out of our Executive session meeting tonight in Texas. When you think you know a lot someone has always sees a new app on the market. While we were sparing about how to open one of my board members mentioned Signupgenius.com it is a free site for now and it appears like other Pools in Texas are using it as a reservation tool. I know very little about the product but did go to the site and it seems like it may help our HOAs with this problem.

I also hear that Texas is going to 50% capacity on June 15th which depending on Pool size could help make this problem ease.

Regarding taking the Flak it comes with the responsibility of our Job. Just do the right thing and you can sleep better at night. You will never get everyone's approval no matter how hard you seek it.

SamE2 (New Jersey)
Posts: 310

Posted:

The thing that concerns me most about opening our pool for use is insurance. Our insurance provider informed us our insurance does not cover for pandemics. Therefore, if someone got Covid 19 and decided to sue us our D&O insurance and liability insurance may not defend us. Even if we are not responsible we would have to hire an attorney to defend the suit. In NJ pools are not allowed to be opened but not sure how we will get past that issue when they do.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Just a thought... Which kind of flak would you like to have? The one for refusing to open or the one that someone caught Covid?

Former HOA President

MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459

Posted:

Sam,
I have thought about this a lot. I think it is very important that all parties entering the Pool area sign a waiver of rights and also saying they take responsibility for sanitizing the areas they use. Is this lawyer proof? Who knows but if we get any hint of a lawsuit the first thing I would do is contact everyone who was in the area at the same time and let them know that he/she may have infected them. In other words instead of them suing the HOA is may become 20 residents suing the homeowner. Who infected who?

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Sam hit the nail on the head, our insurance does not cover viral disease. We are working in concert with our attorney, insurance carrier and awaiting instructions from the health department.

BarbaraT1 (Texas)
Posts: 821

Posted:

I am getting flak for opening at limited capacity, and for the reduced pool hours.

I'm being transparent and direct. It doesn't matter what the governor says, because he's not going to cover your legal fees if you get sued, or get you a new insurance provider if your current one drops you.

It's costing $30,000 that was not in the budget to be open the limited hours we have now. Does anyone want a special assessment to be open longer?

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

And THAT's the type of information you should give your owners so they can make an informed decision. It's great being able to take a dip in the pool and socialize around it, but you can't do that if you or a loved one gets the "rona" and winds up on a ventilator. I find the thought of something costing even more money is enough to give some people pause.

In the meantime, the board has to make decisions in the best interests of the community, and part of that includes risk assessment. As long as you've done your homework and kept the process open, most people will respect that, even if they disagree. Everyone else is being obnoxious (ask them for an alternative suggestion and they'll give you the stink eye and skink away)

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Believe me Sheila we have been totally transparent, even posting the flyer with requirements online.. Myself as a regular user of the hot tub I am steamed over this, but this is a critical incident and that overrides human emotions. I ran some numbers just using the 4 day per week summer schedule for janitorial and doubling that number because a cleaner will have to be on site during opening and a pool monitor would have to be onsite, not counting printing the required number of pool passes to ID residents and not including the cost of a reservation system I surmise it is going to cost just north of $2000.00 per week and over $25.00 per month for individual homeowner contribution.. That figure will far exceed the 15% to raise assessments per Nevada Revised Statutes in NRS 116 governing HOA's.

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