Pool Access

We hire lifeguards and a pool monitor, the monitor is required to verify everyone entering the pool is a resident and is current on their HOA dues.

Before we started this we where receiving daily calls on problems at the pool. We have now done this for 4 years and we have had nothing but positive comments from the residents.

It all depends on the size of pool. The lifguards we use are supplied by the pool company that we use to maintain everything with the pool. We have a medium size pool 6feet at the deepest and a baby pool, roughly 35-40k for entire service, this includes all Chemicals, 2 Lifeguards, 1 monitor, and open and closing for the year costs.

Our assn. used a pool mgmt. company who charged about $35-40K per year. They clean the pool each Monday and they provide the lifeguards from that (rule is 25 people per lifeguard). There are never that many except if there is a party and then the party/user of the clubhouse/pool has to pay for their own lifeguards anyway, even if having a party off to the side when the pool is open to homeowners Tues-Sat. 10am-9pm Sun.1-9p; Closed Monday for cleaning unless holiday, then closed Tuesday for cleaning. There can be problems with this; the MC recommended the pool company to the board and the former president was in cahoots with the MC so it is difficult to determine their relationship, not so much whether there was a conflict of interest, but that her only agenda was swim team. The swim team are provided special privileges thru her, i.e., if they have reserved the pool for a practice or meet they come before the assn. members even though assn. members are paying for the pool and 33% of the swim team are from outside and don't pay into the assn. AT ALL for anything. THIS IS SO WRONG IMHO. But, that aside the pool mgmt. company takes responsibility for everything if they are contracted, including stopping by unexpectedly and checking to see that everything is in order--they handle the equipment so assn. members don't mess up or break it. In fact, per your comment about the bikini-clad, etc.; this president's son got fired from lifeguarding (he should not have been there to begin with -- conflict of interest)because pool company stopped by unexpectedly and he was watching TV (and had fallen asleep) instead of guarding. The pool mgt. co. didn't know who he was, I guess, or didn't care. This was bad. Of course, if swim team parents in assn. hadn't protected the situation, they should have gotten rid of the president right then too. Ya'll look for the book I'm writing--it will be called "Power and Purse Strings: Your HOA and How You Lost It"
EdR

Daine P.
We use a pool pass 2 to each home owner and they can buy up to four Guest Passes. The pool passes are for the year. We also use a daily pass and there are 10 in a book, these are used for guest on a daily useage only. They can buy as many book as they like. These texts need to be adapted by each community of faith.
VincentR

We have 199 homes in our gated community and the pool/SPA was a problem with vandalism and noise. We finally installed an Alarm Lock (brand) that is coded with an individual code for each home. It also is programmed to not allow any one in during the hours it is closed, 10PM to 6AM.

So far it has proven worth it approximatley $1000 cost. We have had one instance of bubbles in the SPA and you can tell which home owner was in at the time the bubbles were noticed. Subsequent letters were sent to the home owner and there have been no further problem.

The only drawback is using a laptop to program the lock so far means having to do it at night because the daylight is too bright for the laptop screen. But once programmed the only time you have to use the laptop is to download the history of users.

Regarding the lifeguard issue, we recently learned from an HOA seminar sponsored by our attorney's firm here in Atlanta that you have a greater risk of liability by having lifeguards hired to cover the pool. The swim at your own risk is less liable to the association.

JulieS, here is the link to the lock we used.

http://www.alarmlock.com/testframe.html?main.html

Our model is the DL3000 because we needed a little over 200 codes.

I made up the codes so each house has a unique code and does not have to be changed when the homes are sold, etc. We informed each home owner that they were responsible for their codes and any damage by someone using their code we would hold them responsible. We can also remove/disable their code manually or via the laptop.

We needed to install a new fence because of the corrosion on the original so we installed a fence that has spikes on the top. We also let the home owners know that anyone inside during the closed hours or inside not authorized would be trespassing and the police would be notified.

We still need the cover over the inside so no one can reach over and open the gate. It was supposed to be installed with the lock but our management company dropped the ball.

Where can this device be purchased

PS: Didn't mean the electronic access was a problem; meant that initial installation might be expensive, but after that the plastic credit-type cards with magnetic strips are not that expensive. I would start by asking a hotel/motel what companies sell that type of cardkey system.

Funny you should ask. Yes, we tried the fake security system deal. Make sure you can trust that no one can spill the beans or everyone will ignore because they know they are fake. Our problem was that the biggest offender of rules and stuff (like paintballing our clubhouse, throwing firecrackers into the pool area while babies were in there, etc.) were children of at least one director. She, no doubt, had told her kids (one of them was a lifeguard for heaven's sake) that the security system was fake. So keep it under wraps if you do it. My father had a saying that I do not know where it originated, but it is so true - "three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead".
EdR