We regret to announce that the board voted at the June 18th board meeting to not open the pool for the 2020 season. The decision was made after consulting with our attorney, insurance company, and pool management company. The board spent a great deal of time reviewing its options, and understands that this is very disappointing. Please know that they did not make this decision lightly.
The deciding factors were:
1. Safety – The risk to residents of getting COVID-19 is real. Although cases in New Jersey have been declining, a spike in cases is predicted this summer.
2. Liability – Insurance may not cover claims resulting from COVID-19. If OSA has to defend itself against a claim, the cost could be substantial and could result in a special assessment for all association members.
3. Cost to Comply – The cost to comply with NJ Dept. of Health regulations would be excessive, and outside of OSA’s budget.
4. Time to Comply – If we were to open the pool, the time required to implement all of these restrictions would result in a greatly shortened pool season, and at a great expense.
There are several factors that influence our budget, and the pool is just one of the items affected by the Coronavirus. If these factors result in a net savings at the end of the year, the surplus will be carried forward to the 2021 budget to help offset next year’s expenses.