May 16, 2020
We would like to thank all residents for the patience and understanding you have extended as we navigate this very difficult situation together as a community. As a volunteer Board of Directors, we have been continually working with our management company (Leland Management), our attorney and our insurance provider for their guidance for several weeks now. Our primary goal is, and always will be, safety of the community. Additionally, we are also responsible for protecting association members (i.e. homeowners) from exposure to liability and financial risk.
With these priorities in mind, determining the timing for re-opening of amenities presents a difficult decision for us, your Board of Directors. There are varying opinions from attorneys and insurance experts complicating the matter even more. And while the State has issued guidelines for a “Phase 1” re-opening plan, there are several recommendations that go along with that plan, including controlling group size, enforcing social distancing, and maintaining a level of sanitation that is very difficult for a community association like ours to comply with without on-site staff.
Regarding access to the association pool, we are aware that the CDC says there is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread directly to humans from water in pools. Reopening the pool area, however, also involves the disinfection of the chairs and tables as well as continuous cleaning of the restrooms and high-touch surfaces. State and local Health Code requires bathrooms to be available in order to operate a commercial pool, so simply closing the restrooms is not a feasible option.
For these reasons and more, the safest route is to continue to keep amenities closed for the next ten days and reevaluate at that time (May 26, 2020). This reevaluation date may change if the federal, state, or local government relaxes their recommendations regarding preventative actions such as social distancing and wearing PPE.
We will continue to monitor the ever-changing situation and the expert opinions provided to us. Please rest assured that we are aware of your interest in accessing the amenities and we are working diligently to balance that with our goals of protecting your safety and mitigating legal and financial risk to all of us.
Thank you for your continued patience. We are doing our best during this unprecedented time.
–Mabel Bridge Board of Directors