Saturday, June 26, 1999
Silverton pool opening delayed
'Somebody forgot to order chlorine'
BY ALLEN HOWARD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SILVERTON — The city's swimming pool will not open today as expected because the chlorine needed to disinfect it wasn't ordered in time.
Hamilton County Health Commissioner Tim Ingram said the pool failed a health department inspection, so itsgates will stay locked until at least next week.
“Somebody forgot to order the chlorine,” Mr. Ingram said. “We are not going to let them open it until it is properly disinfected.”
The pool's opening already had been threatened by three months of disagreement between the city and the Blue Ash YMCA over the contract to manage the pool. That dispute was settled late Friday. But it was not clear who was supposed to get the pool ready for opening.
Paul Steman, city service manager, said until Monday he thought the YMCA was suppose to take care of cleaning the pool.
“But I learned my service department was supposed to do it,” Mr. Steman said.
He said the city crew performed the needed maintenance and cleaned and filled the pool with water, but had no chlorine.
“I was told by the YMCA that it had ordered the chlorine and that it would be here Thursday or Friday. Well, it didn't arrive in time for the inspection,” Mr. Steman said.
He said the pool's chlorine supplier, Miami Products near
Dayton, Ohio, reported the shipment was not due until next week.
Paul Cramer, associate director of the Blue Ash YMCA, said the city was supposed to order the chlorine.
“If we get it and get the pool inspected, it could be open by Wednesday,” Mr. Steman said.
Silverton City Council voted unanimously Thursday night in a special meeting not to accept a contract offer the YMCA submitted this month. The contract was different from the one the city asked for in April.
“It was rejected because the Y did not want to assume liability for man aging the pool,” said Nasse Chachoff, chairman of the city's parks and recreation department. “After the vote, we sent them our original proposal and gave them until 4:30 p.m. (Friday) to accept it or leave it.”
The money to open the pool was donated to the city by financier Carl Lindner. Mr. Lindner gave the city $40,000 last year to open the pool when he learned it would not be open because of budget restraints.
He said then he wanted it open because he grew up in Silverton. This year, when the city said it did not have the money to open the pool because it was still under a fiscal watch, Mr. Lindner donated another $40,000.
“We were at the point of returning the money to Mr. Lindner before we would accept the Y's contract,” Mr. Chachoff said.
The YMCA agreed to accept the city's terms Friday.
Mr. Cramer would not comment on the specifics of the dispute.
“We just want what is best for the city and the YMCA,” Mr. Cramer said. “We are excited about partnering with the city to provide safe aquatic services for the residents.”
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