The summer of 2002 will be remembered as a hot one as temperatures routinely hit the 90-degree mark with some scorchers. At the Mineola Pool, while some residents questioned some of the decisions made this season, those who governed the pool believe it has been a banner year.

Village of Mineola Trustee and the board's liaison to the pool Elizabeth Conlon, who frequents the pool, said the season has been a success in terms of the health and safety of swimmers throughout the season and credits the pool's staff.

Ms. Conlon also said the new Leisure Pass restriction helped in eliminating some of the problems that took place last year. Among the problems the pool experienced last year were multiple closings due to defecation in the pool. This year, the pool was closed for a period of time on six occasions because of blood in the pool, the results of bloody noses or cuts. Five of the incidences occurred when the pool was open and one occurred during a swim team session before the pool was open.

The problems caused by defecation in the pool last season caused the pool board and village board to declare eating in the pool area to be forbidden. Residents wishing to eat would have to do so outside the pool area. The ruling was a source of controversy as some residents pushed to have an eating area designated in the pool area.

Mineola resident Sandra Grieco circulated a petition in an attempt to get the eating area back. Mrs. Grieco collected 75 signatures in time for the July 13 pool board meeting. According to Mrs. Grieco, the eating area was a great addition to the pool and allowed families to spend the day without packing up to go outside and fight for a table to eat. Mrs. Grieco feels that those malicious enough to defecate in the pool, it wouldn't seem to matter if they ate at a table in the pool or outside the pool.

Ms. Conlon points out that as of Friday, August 16, there have been no instances of pool closings due to defecation. She also pointed out that the pool needed fewer visits from the exterminator and the cleanliness was much improved. "I know a lot of people complained because they wanted food in the pool area, but I think overall it's benefited everyone to not have the food," she said, pointing out that the village only went back to a former policy. Although the Mineola Pool is 40 years old, food was only allowed in the four years prior to this one. "I think we needed to go back to the way we were. All those years we didn't have the closures that we had last year. It was incumbent upon the board and the mayor to do something."

Whether the instances have been cut down due to a "no eating" policy or stricter regulations when it comes to issuing Leisure Passes it is a source of disagreement.

"I am pleased to say overall the pool was a significant improvement in the number of unexpected closings. Was this due to the change policy of no eating inside the pool or did the staff sort out the individuals that have not respect for community property? Let's hope it was a combination," said Mineola resident Rick Maher.

With health and safety issues being the most important, those who run the pool feel the staff and patrons alike succeeded in providing a relaxing and safe atmosphere. "The health issues today are nothing to be sneezed at. They're far greater than anything we've experienced in past years," said Ms. Conlon, who praised the work of pool director Dan Kopetic and assistant director Sue Murphy as well as the lifeguard supervisors.

Another source of controversy at the beginning of the pool season was the elimination of competition between the Mineola Swim Team and teams from other pools. The pool board decided on an intramural program. Some parents felt the effectiveness of a swim team to promote swimming skills and a sense of competition was diminished as a result of the decision.

Ms. Conlon said based on a survey sent to parents of children on the swim team, the majority just wanted the children to have fun, which is something the staff tried to ensure through an intramural program designed to lessen the possibility of bad sportsmanship between teams from other communities. The Mineola Swim Team did, however, compete against the Valley Stream Swim Team for the Mayor's Cup.

Overall, however, those who ran the pool feel the season was a great success as the programs went off without a hitch. "It was one of the best years we had. The weather was cooperative. We had the nicest mix of people down there. The staff was wonderful. We were down membership, but it was well-attended every day. It was like a little country club," said Kyle Teemsma, who oversees recreational activities for the village.

Most importantly, the goal of the pool staff was to make it possible for patrons to enjoy the pool in a safe fashion. "I think we absolutely 100 percent matched our goal," said Kopetic.