HOA - Pool Update 2024

Date: 6/2/2024 Dear Fellow Polo Ranch Members,

This update serves to inform our community about changes that are going to be implemented at the pool, substantiate these changes, as well inform residents about an incident that happened at the pool this weekend. We ask that you read this update in its entirety to understand why we are making changes within our community.

During the last three years we have transitioned from the pool being open from Memorial Day to Labor Day to being open seven months a year. Three years ago, the pool was only opened eight hours a day and was frequently closed due to guards not being available or ‘suspected’ lightning. We went from having lifeguards at all times, to lifeguards only on weekends, to our current swim at your own risk status. We have done our best to work through the kinks and make modifications to the pool that allow us the ability to enjoy the pool at extended hours for a greater duration of the year, and at significantly less cost! The decision to go in this direction was not made exclusively by the boards of directors. Many townhall meetings took place where input from the community was used to make this decision. We championed the swim at your own risk concept after seeing it performed successfully at other communities and realizing the potential savings it could provide us. Keeping our cost, and correspondingly our annual fees, to a minimum has always been a priority for us.

The last few months of the pool being open has not been a good experience for the community. We have done our best to make the pool and playground area better and facilitate a safe and clean environment for our families. We changed pool vendors and increased the frequency at which the pool is serviced. The pool company was not able to keep up with the mess that was created at the pool. We have corroborated with employees at our new pool company and watched them service the pool to a high standard, only to see it destroyed the next day, or sometimes within hours. We hired an additional cleaning service to augment cleaning performed by our pool vendor. These services come at a cost that we as a community have to pay for. It’s not free and it’s not cheap. Even with a new and motivated pool vendor and the additional cleaning service, we are not able to keep up with the mess that our community generates at the pool. It’s important to understand, the condition at the pool is not the fault of our vendors, but rather our fault as a community. This is something that we have done to ourselves and to our neighbors.

In addition to these sanitation issues, we have received alarming complaints about unsafe and inappropriate behavior at the pool. Some of the actions that have been reported are quite astounding and unacceptable. Saving cost is a priority for the board, but the safety and welfare of our community comes first. It’s a sad state we are now in, and we believe the swim at your own risk status is no longer providing value for us.

On the night of May 31st, the pool was vandalized by several teenagers that has caused significant damage to the pool, pool equipment, and to a recently completed community library; a recent eagle scout project from an outstanding young resident. The delinquents were caught by the Fulshear Police Department soon after these, and other crimes, were committed. We as a board have discussed the decision to press charges with a great amount of thought and reflection, and unanimously agreed to press charges as an association. This is all the information we are going to provide about this incident at this time, until more can be confirmed.

When the pool was vandalized, the lifeguard tower, multiple chairs, and full trash's cans were thrown into the pool. The trash can contained many glass bottles, a prohibited item at the pool, and were found broken in the water. This is a major safety concern and correspondingly the pool has to be closed until we are able to ensure all the glass is removed. The trash and waste that was thrown into the pool requires that the pool must be shocked several times before it is considered safe for entry. We can expect this process to take several days and potentially longer than a week. It is very unfortunate that this has to take place as our kids are enjoying their summer break, but it is necessary. We ask all community members please, do not bring glass items into the pool area. Please use the trash cans by the playground to discard glass bottles before entering the pool.

We are now in the process of adding either lifeguards or gatekeepers at the pool. This is difficult to do mid-season and comes at a cost that was not budgeted for. We will find the most cost-effective option to ensure that rules at the pool are adhered to and followed, so that the pool can be a safe place again. Starting soon we will be required to sign in at the pool and access will be denied to those without a key FOB. If you do not have one, please email Rachel at service@csutx.com and she can assist with FOB related questions. We are unsure at this time if we will be able to keep the pool hours 8am to 9pm but are working to find the best options. Please know this; the decision to move in this direction was not made as a result of this weekend’s incident, but rather a culmination of factors.

In addition to having lifeguards or gatekeepers, we have approved a quote to install a camera system with CCTV at the pool and playground area. The camera footage will be recorded and accessible in the event that crimes or unacceptable behavior are committed in the future. This also comes at a cost and was something that was not budgeted for until next year. We will be using our emergency fund to install the cameras as soon as possible, and replenishing that fund next year.

The changes that we are implementing are expensive and will require us to raise our annual fee. We can anticipate our fees to increase by ten percent for at least the next two years and will be reevaluated for 2027. There is no other way. We believe that providing the additional services mentioned is necessary and is what’s best for the community. We will be having a townhall at the end of the month for residents to address their concerns and provide input. It is important to us that the actions we are taking reflect the goodwill of the community and the townhall will be a means for us to voice our opinions and provide input. We will have more information on the date, time, and place soon.

Thank you for your time in reading this and staying informed.

Respectfully,

Pete, Danielle, and Veronica - Polo Ranch HOA Board If you have any questions or need to be added to the HOA Email Blast List. Email the Polo Ranch HOA Board at: service@csutx.com