Neighbors,
Here are a few neighborhood updates for your reading pleasure:
As a neighborhood, the board felt that the best guidance for the opening and closing of amenities was the Cobb County Parks & Recreation. As such, once the parks closed, we closed those amenities where social distancing was extremely difficult. Now that Cobb County will open their parks beginning on May 11th, Echo Mill will re-open the amenities (pools excluded) as well. However, we will point out that social responsibility is still a requirement of each individual and each person must govern their actions accordingly. Please remember that all users of the Echo Mill amenities should wear their wrist bands. Please support this effort.
We had scheduled the back pool to open for the swim team on May 9th and both pools to open on May 16th. Obviously, the world has changed a lot since we announced those dates. Currently, Governor Kemp’s Executive Order is in place and it will not allow swimming pools to open until after May 13th. These pools include HOA pools, hotels, apartments, Park and recreation pools etc. The only pools not part of this order would be a personal backyard pool.
If this Executive order is not extended, then HOA pools will be allowed to open beginning on May 14th but this will probably be done with a list of restrictions and requirements concerning COVID19. For example, we may not be allowed to put out all the chairs, there may be significant restrictions on the operation of the slide. The short version is the rules of our world are changing and we will try to adjust as quickly as possible.
Part of Cobb county law is that all (non-personal) pools must be inspected by the health department prior to opening. From my understanding, the same inspectors for the pools are the ones who are inspecting restaurants and other businesses. Needless to say, Echo Mill’s pools (and any other subdivision) is not at the top of their lists. We are currently scheduled to be inspected the afternoon of May 19th. We will open the back pool as we are able after the inspection.
Now the bad news….
It appears that a leak has developed around the front pool. We have a leak detection company scheduled to come out and find the leak on May 21. This will delay the opening of the front pool until the leak is found and corrected.
Per our Pool management company, “The pool is not able to operate fully with a leak because the water cannot filter and be treated properly (safely) with chemicals to meet health department standards.”
As always, we will keep you informed as we are able. Be safe.
Rick Graham
President
Echo Mill HOA/BOD May 8, 2020