East Ramapo–No one thought it would have a happy ending, but now community members, teachers and staff of the East Ramapo School District and Camp Shalom are considering the notion of pooling their resources… in this case, they are trying to figure out how to go about sharing the use of the temporary swimming pools that were a bone of contention when the camp rented school property last spring.

Superintendent of Schools, Joel Klein said the idea came from the physical education teaching staff when they came back to prepare for the beginning of school and saw the pools up and the kids swimming. “They saw how well they fit in and asked if they could be kept up so that the kids could form a swim club and use it in the month of September and as long as it’s still warm.” They also suggested having the pools erected a month earlier than this year, in June instead of July, so that the school children use it then as well.

Klein said that Camp Shalom, hearing of this, suggested the possibility of donating the pools to the school, but nothing has been discussed as yet.  This was confirmed by Yosef R. Levine, president of the board of Camp Shalom. He said they are looking forward to continuing the positive relationship they have with the school, though there was some controversy concerning the vandalism. Levine said that there is a suspect and security officials at the school do not believe that another case of vandalism at a day camp nearby are linked. Levine said there was an atmosphere of hate in the community, though it is non-violent. “We entered this with positivity and we’re very hopeful that positivity will outshine negativity. Or priority is the safety of the children and there is security around that school at all times. We are making arrangements for next year to increase security around our pools, so there will not be any issues.”

The swimming pools were the focal point in a continuing campaign of animosity this year highlighted by an unconnected incident in July when vandals slashed the liner of one of the four pools that were being put up by Camp Shalom on the field it leased from the Chestnut Ridge Middle School.

In July, the Ramapo Police did not find evidence that the $15,000 worth of damage was anything more than straightforward criminal mischief to property. This view was substantiated with the knowledge that a similar incident took place at about the same time, not half a mile away at a secular camp, the Nature Place Day Camp. But it was evident that residents in the area were opposed to the pools’ construction, as could be seen by entries on Facebook as well as complaints filed at various levels of government and with governmental departments.

Most of the complaints and accusations were found to be born of rumor, ignorance and suspicion and could not be substantiated except for a disagreement on whether or not the permission was needed by the New York State Board of Education (NYSED). Lawyers representing the camp, Ryan Karben and the school district, Minerva and D’Agostino, the Village board told them that it wasn’t needed.

However, Jeanne Beattie, spokesperson for the NYSED said, “Since the school facility in question is currently used for public school purposes, the State Education Department is the Authority having Jurisdiction. The Department would review and approve any and all work done there.

“Carl Thurnau, Director, Office of Facilities Planning, NYS Education Department, had a conversation with the District Superintendent and informed him that a permit should have been obtained from the department for the pool installation. However, a penalty was not issued. Mr. Thurnau discussed the installation with the Engineer for the project/District and local code officials and determined the project was properly designed.”

Proper permitting was granted by the Chestnut Ridge Building Department as well as the Rockland County Department of Health. Camp Shalom paid the cash-strapped school district $125,000 for the use of the one field and part of the building. The camp was given a $10,000 credit for the installation of an upgrade in the school security camera system. Because of the vandalism, only two of the planned four 20 by 40 wooden frame above the ground pools surrounded by a gate at the top was constructed.

The potential discussions about renegotiating the lease are aimed at allowing middle-school students to swim in the camp’s pools and have a beginner’s swimming class as part of an after-school swim club in the late spring and early fall of 2015.

If the arrangement goes through, aside from getting Health Department permits, the School District would have to pay for insurance, maintenance and safety staff during the school year. No cost has been determined said Klein. Camp Shalom would be responsible for erecting the pools and taking them down for the remainder of the school year, regardless of the decision. The camp has leased the property for another year.

Klein said the pools have already been taken down and the ground is scheduled to be leveled out on September 3 and seeded, “just as we have to do with the other fields each year.”

Facebook bloggers are already out in force, claiming the pools presently being disassembled are a danger to children, that children in other parts of the school district won’t have the same opportunities, and that the money spent for the middle school use of the pool could be put to better use.

By Anne Phyllis Pinzow