It's safe to go back in the water...

18 Oct 2010

Finally, the drains required by the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act have been purchased and installed in both pools at the Aquatic Center. We’ve seen the certificates for the drains and have a copy of the claim paying for the installation. So, this should be a done deal. Maybe.

This is what has happened: In Jan 2009, members of the Transparency Committee became aware of the above Federal Law. The deadline for compliance with this 2007 law was 31 Dec 2008. This meant that if Safe Drains were not installed as of 31 Dec 2008, the pools were to be closed until the drains were installed. There was no wiggle room. When we found out about this law, we were already out of compliance.

The very morning we found out about this law, the Board of Supervisors’ were having a meeting and we placed a copy of this law at the place of each Supervisor.

In Feb 2009, the Transparency Committee provided grant information to the Board that would have helped offset the expenses of purchasing and installing these drains. This information was placed at the President of the Board of Supervisors place in the Board Room. After the meeting, I personally asked the President of the Board if he had seen what was at his place when he arrived. The response was yes but he hadn’t had a chance to read it yet. There was acknowledgement that he would read the information as soon as he had a chance.

And then the nagging and complaining from our Committee continued for the next year and eight months. During this time, we held two Summer Camps; don’t know how many swim practices and meets and can’t even imagine how many people just enjoying our beautiful pools.

What were we to do? We got tired of talking about this month after month at our meeting. We got tired of asking our Supervisors. The State of MS couldn’t help us because this was a Federal Law. So, in the spring of 2010, we filed a complaint with a Federal Agency to make our County Government comply with this mandate. Let’s hope this is a done deal and we won’t be looking at a federal fine for a year and eight months of being out of compliance with a Federal Law.