District 128 pool repairs still pending
Mandated safety repairs could be made to Vernon Hills High School's swimming pool before similar work is done at Libertyville High, officials said.
Plans for the Vernon Hills pool will be submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health first because the pool isn't as old as Libertyville's and its problems aren't as extensive, District 128 Superintendent Prentiss Lea told the school board during its regular meeting Monday night.
Repairs are needed to the pools because the drains don't meet state and federal safety standards adopted in recent years.
State law established an October 2011 compliance deadline for pools at schools, parks, hotels and other public places. Many pools - including District 128's - did not meet the deadline.
As a result, the Vernon Hills and Libertyville pools were briefly closed until state health department officials agreed to give the district until June 1 to make the repairs.
Students and kids in local swim clubs have access to the pools again.
A repair proposal for the Vernon Hills pool could be submitted to the health department "in a few short weeks," Lea said.
Lea praised state engineers for working "very closely" with the district on potential solutions.
"We're looking forward to moving forward with both of those projects," Lea said.
The repairs could cost as much as $125,000, officials estimated last year.