Anderson High School Update
The board voted 3-2 against renting the pool to the Anderson High School swim
team. Among the facts considered in the decision was the risk of opening up the
pool to other commercial uses as determined by various boards from year to year.
There was some concern that if we let Anderson use the pool since we have
members of our neighborhood attend there, that we might have to let MacCallum or
LBJ use it in the future since we may in the future have neighborhood swimmers
attend those schools as well. The board was concerned that we may be entering
into an agreement with AISD, rather than Anderson High School, which we
absolutely did not want to do.
The board also considered the question of obtaining adequate insurance from AISD,
since we have determined that the neighborhood's insurance will not provide any
coverage. The proof of insurance would have had to be obtained before any use
of the pool would be granted.
The board considered the increase in traffic coming into the neighborhood, the
potential noise of the use of the pool, the additional burden in maintenance of
the pool and increased use of chemicals in the pool. Additionally, the whole
question of turning the pool into a commercial activity for the benefit of
non-residents was discussed. The discussion related the current proposal to the
one time activities that the commons area is currently subject to, such as
school and church picnics which are sponsored by residents, various baseball and
soccer team celebrations, and other one time events, such as graduation parties.
The board did not want to extend the precedents of allowing others to use the
pool to include recurring types of activities such as the daily swim team
practices that could extend into the fall, winter and spring represented.
The board has been asked in the past by neighbors who do not live in the deeded
area, if they could pay a fee and obtain use of the commons area. The board has
always rejected such requests. We feel very strongly that the commons area is
for the use of the residents and their invited guests and that we should not
contract out the right to use the pool.
Finally, since the issue of being able to use the pool only until such time as
the water temperature stayed above 78 degrees was discussed, the board felt that
the potential use of the pool for this year was very short and that by the time
we had an insurance document that protected us and had been reviewed by our
attorney, that the actual use of the pool by the swim team would indeed be
minimal. The fact that this proposal was brought to the board this late in the
season to actually be of much use was also considered by the board. The issue
of heating the pool was discussed and Zach Rivette presented some operating cost
figures, which indicated that the monthly operating cost of heating the pool
might range from $500 to $800 per month. Heating the pool was not part of the
decision process for determining whether or not to allow Anderson to use the
pool.
As everyone who was present can attest, the discussion for and against the use
was quite detailed and involved. The board did not reach its conclusion
lightly, or easily, but did what it thought to be in the best interests of the
entire neighborhood. This email may have left out some of the issues discussed,
but it is a summary of a discussion that took about 75 minutes at the board
meeting.
The vote of the board was as follows: Move to allow the Anderson Swim Team the
use of our swimming pool on a trial basis, Monday through Friday, for the hours
of 7-8:30 am, until the pool temperature drops below 78 degrees Farenheit. This
motion only applies to the 2004 calendar year. It is subject to proper proof of
insurance and the agreement by Anderson High School to a list of rules of
behavior as set by the Balcones Woods Operating Committee and Board of
Directors. It is also subject to a fee to be determined.
Grant Hennig Yes
Dottie McClain Yes
Jody Schrobilgen No
Charles Abernathy No
Nancy L'Amie No
Brian Anthony Absent
Chris Grunska - President of the Board, doesn't vote unless there is a tie.
Finally, I wish to express the decision of the board that we do not choose to
use the yahoo news group as a means of communicating with the neighborhood. A
vast majority of the neighborhood are not members of this news group. The board
members do not have the time to respond, in their capacity as board members, to
the many issues that are presented via the news group. The board makes its
decisions as a group after discussion of all sides of an issue, and as such it
needs time to deliberate in person with each of the other board members. The
news group is not an effective way for the board to try to reach consensus on
many issues, some of which may be controversial.
Balcones Woods Board of Directors