Village East Hills Mayor Michael Koblenz on Tuesday proposed legislation to tighten the rules for children swimming at the Park at East Hills pool.
The proposed law calls for children who can swim to be supervised at a one to four ratio, meaning for every four children in the pool they must be accompanied by a single adult.
If a child can’t swim, then the ratio will be one to one.
“This past summer we had an unfortunate situation and we’re very lucky that the child came back,” Village Attorney William Burton said.
Burton said the child almost drowned with six children present and one adult.
“It gives the lifeguards a little more strength when there dealing with certain parents that abuse this type of ratio,” Burton said of the proposed law.
Koblenz also discussed the possibility of installing license plate cameras on traffic lights in East Hills.
The project would include almost 100 cameras and would cost between $500,000 and $750,000 to complete.
“Before we do that there will be a public hearing here with this board and the residents to get their views on whether or not spending that is appropriate. We expect to get some money from grants, but that is a very big project,” Koblenz said.
Currently the only traffic camera in the town is at the corner of Northern Boulevard and Chestnut Drive, which is actually a prop giving the appearance of an actual camera, officials said.
At the village park, lifeguards of the pool salary’s will be raised from $12 to $16, in an attempt attract potential employees and retain current employees, Koblenz said.
In addition to lifeguards, the hiring of three new park safety personnel was authorized as well.
Koblenz said he is looking to sell of out-of-commission fitness equipment from the park fitness center, and two vehicles. All items will be sold on Municibid, which is an online auction for government agencies to sell unwanted items.
East Hills resident Richard Brummel requested that the board address several environmental concerns at the meeting.
Brummel said he was particularly concerned with excess tree removal and improper tree removal while animals are still inhabitants of the tree.
“An issue that I think East Hills should take some leadership on is taking protecting animals in tress that are being cut down,” he said “I’ve been fighting these issues as much as one person can.”
Koblenz responded by saying “a lot of the new houses have been required to put in tress. Some of the big trees that have been here for eight years, there is no place for them to go, their roots are going under foundations, or they are too close to the houses, or they are getting sick. There are houses that I know and have seen that have planted trees.”
