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July 15, 2010
Summer is the season I enjoy most. And it should be that way for everyone, including Troy’s children.
As you are probably aware by now, the South Troy pool was delayed one day in opening; the Knickerbacker Park pool was delayed three days. Those days were in the middle of the first major heat wave of the summer season and I want to be clear that this was not a minor concern. I understand many of Troy’s residents rely upon the city’s pools for relief from the summer heat.
There has been much said about the process of the City applying to Rensselaer County for permits to operate the pools. Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner George Rogers had been in contact with Renssealer County officials since late March regarding the operation of the City pools. The County assisted him in understanding and complying with stringent regulations governing the operation of public pools.
Historically, the pools have opened the day after July 4th weekend, due in part to the fact that we use seasonal help who are kids on high school or college breaks. Even before I was Mayor, the City would apply for the permit the day the pool was to be opened. That is, someone would go the county offices, apply and pay for the permits, and later that day an inspection would be completed and the pool would open. That is exactly what was done Tuesday, the scheduled opening day of the pools.
There were only two differences this year. First, we paid for the permits in March. Second, the Knickerbacker Park pool was not ready to be inspected the same day.
On Tuesday the county inspector did a walk through of the South Troy pool and found one deficiency. It was agreed we would make the repair and the final inspection would be completed Wednesday morning. That final inspection took place Wednesday morning as scheduled, the permit was issued, and the South Troy Pool is now open.
The Knickerbacker Park pool was a more complex situation. There were extensive repairs made to the structure including replacement of a pump. We needed filtration sand delivered so that the filling of the pool could commence. We also needed to make other minor improvements as required and/or recommended by the County.
We focused all of our efforts last week and making those necessary and suggested improvements. To help ease the situation in the meantime I directed the city’s Fire Chief to open spray stations at the Ingalls Avenue Park and 112th Street kids park.
At no time, no amount of media or political pressure would make me think twice about not opening the pools before I or my department head felt the pool was safe to open.
The media took the story and ran with it, which is their job. Yet, to have members of the City Council care about the pools now is a bit hypocritical.
City Council President Clement Campana and Councilman Gary Galuski, who chairs the Committee on Parks and Recreation, eviscerated the Parks and Recreation Department during last year’s budget process.
First, they eliminated the full-time position of the person whose job it was to oversee the opening and operation of the city pools. Yes, the Commissioner is responsible for the whole department but the job of overseeing the pools was deemed large enough to have one employee assigned to manage that.
Second, I had to sue the City Council to restore $170,000 in funding they removed from the department’s budget during last year’s budget process. Had they succeeded in removing that money, it would’ve kept the pools, golf course, and summer youth programs closed. Why? We wouldn’t have been able to pay anyone to staff these vital public resources.
That being said, the pools are now opened and fully staffed. We have taken measures to ensure they are the safest they can be. As always we offer free Learn-to-Swim programs at both of our pools. More information can be found by calling my office at 279-7130 or visiting www.troyny.gov.
Additionally, our spraygrounds in Frear and Prospect Parks have been open and last week we announced a partnership with the Troy Housing Authority to offer their spraygrounds to residents also.
I encourage everyone to take advantage of the pools and spraygrounds. It’s hot summer and there’s now no shortage of places to escape the summer heat in Troy.
If you have any questions, comments,
concerns, or complaints, please do not hesitate to call
me (518) 270-4401 or e-mail the Mayor’s
Office.
Harry J. Tutunjian
Mayor of Troy
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