Mesquite Ranch

Mesquite Ranch Homeowners,

There is a lot of frustration out there with regard to the pools.  Questions continue to arise surrounding when we might reopen them or when we are going to hold a meeting about it.  We realize that many people are home and that the kids are home, its hot and residents want to use the pools.  We have heard everything from suggestions on how we might be able to facilitate their opening to residents expressing their frustration because they feel we are not communicating about the pool situation as it were. 

Let me start with a brief explanation of why the pools are closed.  When the pandemic hit and started a cascade closure of businesses across the county, we were advised by the association attorneys to close the pools and maintain them closed.  The reason was two parts, the first being that we needed to wait for compliance guidelines if we wanted to operate them.  The second and more dauting reason was because we do not have insurance coverage for pandemic events.  Meaning we could be sued, and we would have no protection should that happen.  Because we are an association every homeowner would share in the cost to defend that lawsuit and would be on the hook for any potential judgment that came from it.

Many suggestions came forward from the board and the residents on how we might mitigate liability while still enjoying our pools.  Unfortunately, none of them passed the stress test.  They were either too ineffectual to use, offered no real protection or became prohibitively expensive to execute.  No one wants the pools closed, including the residents that volunteer for the board, but we cannot open up the association to litigation simply because we want to swim.  This takes us to the next frustration, when does this change?  The short answer is that no one knows.  Right now, we are closely watching legislation surrounding COVID-19 liability protections and the actions the county health department is taking. 

The reason we have not sent out an update is simple, there is nothing new to update anyone on.  We understand the frustration, we are on the front lines of it and hear it every day, but we cannot offer answers or solutions at this time as there simply are none. 

And finally, the concerns about being heard, we hear you.  We hear the frustration. We get the emails and take the calls every day.  We cannot change that which is out of our control.  We appreciate the suggestions on how to do it, we have run every single one by our attorneys.  Without a significant increase in assessments there is not a way to open them today.      

We ask that you be patient and we ask for your understanding.  As soon as we can reasonably open the pools, we most assuredly will do so, but we are not optimistic we will be able to enjoy our pools this swim season.

Thank you

Mesquite Ranch Board of Directors