Pool Committee Pleased With Survey Response

About 40 percent of borough residents returned a survey that asked them how they thought the municipality should go about renovating its Memorial Park pool.

Now, the borough's Memorial Pool and Park Advisory Committee must figure out how to make sense of the survey's results.

Councilman James Lonergan, who is a member of the committee, said he was pleased with the 40 percent survey response. The questionnaire was mailed to all borough residents, and was due back at Borough Hall on Jan. 18.

It asked residents whether they favored keeping the pool in the same place and repairing it there, whether they wanted the pool expanded in the same location or whether they wanted it moved to another, larger location.

"Our survey was the first step of really getting the pulse of what the town wants," Lonergan said.

The committee will now meet once a week to figure out what the results mean. It will present its findings to the public at a town hall meeting Feb. 23 that will either be held at Borough Hall or at The Library of the Chathams. Lonergan said he favored having the meeting at Borough Hall because it then could be televised.

He said committee members have often disagreed with one another on the decisions the committee should make. But council members stressed they have been pleased with the process.

"The discussions [at committee meetings] are very, very thoughtful," said Councilman Bruce Harris. "Even though they might not agree, they listen to each other."