UPDATE

It has been a while since I posted on this page, and I am sure people are starting to think of summer swimming. I was hoping to get more information before posting, but I haven't as of yet. Some of you may be aware of a proposed pool at the Somers Pointe Golf (Country) Club. We had heard of it a while ago and could not get any information at the time. In fact, the company has now approached the Planning Board and plans to submit a new application to build a private pool. They previously had approval, so it seems likely that they will get approval again. IMPORTANT: I do not have specific information about the pool, or when it will be built. I know nothing other than they want to build a pool. I do not know specifics of what was said at the Planning Board meeting, and any information I found was from looking at our town website.

Given that there is a history of rejecting a town pool in Somers, our group, and the Town Board members who were assisting us, feel that it is best to table any plans for a community pool, (and survey), in our town. A private pool in our community will at least give people the option of staying in their own community to swim. I put in a call to the number provided for the company listed below but have yet to hear back. I will provide an update, if and when I do. I suggest using the link below if you would like to leave the company feedback on the pool they intend to build. I have heard a rumor that it should be ready for swimming next summer, but I don't have any information to substantiate that.

I am truly sorry if people are disappointed with this news. However, the opening of a private pool in our town would undoubtedly make it even more difficult to proceed with what was already going to be a very difficult task. No one wants to expend time and money on a fruitless effort. We appreciate the support we have received from those of you who wrote emails, talked with friends and neighbors, and attended the Board meeting. Below you will find a link to a contact form for the Somers Pointe Country Club. 

http://somerspointecountryclub.com/contact.php

WHY WE NEED A POOL

UPDATE 2/12 SOMERS TOWN MEETING:

Full house at the Town House tonight.

A survey will be created to gauge public interest.

That has to happen before anything else. 

Thanks to those of you who turned up. 

Please don't get complacent, we will still need your 

support, even when you think there is no news.

WE NEED YOU!

Please come to the Somers Town Board at  meeting: 

Thursday, February 12th - 7:00 pm 

Somers Town Hall

The discussion of a community pool is on the Agenda. 

The Parks and Rec department has requested authorization from the Town Board to form a committee to investigate the needs of the community and feasibility of a town pool.   Once formed, this committee, under the directions of Parks and Rec., will explore what the residents want and need possibly through a survey or other appropriate means, and will investigate options for locations, type of facility, funding as well as all other considerations.  

If you would like to see this exploratory process continue, you must attend this meeting to show your support.  

A town pool not only provides a fun place to swim and cool off, but enhances the quality of life and desirability of  our community in many ways.  We encourage you to explore this blog to learn why we need a town pool.  We will be posting more informtion in the next few days.  

WHAT YOU CAN DO...

Email the Town Board to let them know that you want a Somers Town Pool!

All it takes is one sentence, "I support a town pool." 

Your action makes a difference. 

Thanks!

Click the Town Board link, click on their names and send them an email.

http://www.somersny.com/Pages/SomersNY_BComm/TownBoard/index

OCTOBER'S MEETINGS

INITIAL PUBLIC MEETING -  OCT. 14, 2014

Thanks to those who came to the meeting on Tuesday night. About 40 people attended, nearly half of them (not on Facebook page) from reading about it in local media outlets. Both Tom Garrity, Town Board, and Jim Papa, P and R Board spoke, as well as others. 

Briefly, here are key points of the meeting:

1. There are 547 of us, please don't assume that just a few of us will be able to make a pool happen. You will need to come to a few town meetings, at least, to show your support for the project. No support means no pool. I cannot stress that enough. Both Tom and Jim made that crystal clear. If you want a pool, please make an effort to attend Town Board meetings, the date of which I will announce on this page.

2. There will be opposition from predictable quarters. In addition to showing up at Board meetings, the best chance of passing a referendum is to get people out to vote. A very substantial number of voters live in Heritage Hills, and they vote. 

3. There are many different ideas about what type of pool is best for town use. If the Town gives Parks and Rec approval to begin exploring this project, P and R will be the ones developing that plan, along with the Town Board. Probably we need to consider doing a survey, via Survey Monkey, or similar. Everyone seems to agree that costs must be kept low to have any chance of passing.

4. Jim Papa thinks that making a community center part of the deal improves the chances of passing a referendum, as it might sway senior voters. Apparently there have been requests for a community center for 30 years.

5. There is land owned by the Town which could be used for the purpose of a pool. Reis Park is not necessarily the best location, for a number of reasons.

6. Additionally ..... Somers Pointe pool, at this time, doesn't exist and has no permits. They have not responded to enquiries. There is no reliable information about it at all. Perhaps their advertisement was to gauge interest.

I believe there will be a story in the Somers Record on Thursday about the meeting. I urge people to please stay active on this blog and/or Facebook . 

PARKS & REC MEETING - OCT. 22, 2014

Regarding the P and R meeting on October 22, the board agreed to draft a letter to the Town Board asking for permission to form a committee. The Town Board has to have a majority agreement to grant this approval. At that point, they (Town Board) will then decide when to put the pool issue on the agenda. We have no say as to when that will be. Meanwhile, any member of the public may go to any Town Board meeting and comment on any matter they wish during Public Comments at the beginning of each meeting. If you want to speak in support of a pool before any official meeting, you may do so.

The P and R Board, assuming they get approval to form a committee, will create a community survey to gauge public interest. There will be no further development until a survey is completed. The Board has no money to spend on a potentially fruitless project, as the last attempt cost $50,000. They don't anticipate this happening before spring. As with all government projects, it takes time. A committee will be comprised of both Parks and Rec, and members of our pool committee, and together a survey will be formulated.

My general feeling, and I think those who were there will agree, is that the P and R Board seems to be in favor of the project. However, and Jim Papa stressed this again, it will not happen without public support. The Town Board are the ones we need to convince in order to get it to referendum. When the issue goes on the Town Board Agenda, hundreds of us need to be there. A few involved people won't be able to make it happen. It takes a village, and those of us on this page, and elsewhere, are that village. Continue to stress the benefits of a town pool to your friends and family, and if you know of people not in Facebook, you might want to email this to them so they are kept informed.

Please check back for more updates, and feel free to comment. Thanks!