CAI-NJ Apr. 2022

New Jersey COMMUNITY POOLS — What’s in Store for 2022? By Benjamin Basch, American Pool Enterprises

T he snow piles at the end of the parking lots have melted away, spring is in the air, and community residents are looking forward to the 2022 pool sea son. The 2020 summer saw most community association pools in New Jersey remain closed over liability concerns, but with cover from the state’s common interest community immunity bill, the majority of pools reopened for 2021. Even though the state’s immunity bill expired at the time of this writing, the 2022 trend appears towards reopening versus additional restriction. Here is some insight into what communities can expect this pool season. This is the third pool season since the pandemic began, and while the community pool remains a much-deserved fresh air respite for many, it is also a challenge for those charged with working out the details of safe operation. Even though the state’s operational restrictions evolved into “best practices” as of July of 2021, it is still anything but business as usual for those preparing to operate pools this summer. The headwinds for swimming pool operations are the same issues all businesses are facing throughout the coun

try. However, the way these national chokepoints impact the pool in their neighborhood may not be obvious to all. Here are some ways pandemic-related stressors are shap ing summer 2022 along with some insights that can help you navigate this pool season. Awareness of the challeng es can certainly help community association managers and boards make better decisions in planning for the summer. Labor From full-time associates to seasonal supervisors and lifeguards, pool companies are operating in a tight labor market. The hope is that with the expiration of enhanced unemployment benefits, higher vaccination rates, and reduced community spread, more people will be motivated to return to the workforce. The hiring of lifeguards has been affected in an outsized way and it will probably take several years to recover. Here is why. The in-person recruitment of seasonal life guards was essentially shut down in 2020 and, while engagement opportunities limped back in 2021, the num CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 16

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