Clarkstown School District Pool Policy Will Be Reviewed

Several dozen people affiliated with the New York Sharks swim club showed up at Thursday’s Clarkstown School Board meeting asking for a review of allocated swim time at the Felix Festa Middle School Pool. The Condors Swim Club also is allotted practice time at the pool as part of an agreement passed by the board on July 2. School Board President Joe Malgieri said the district’s policy for use of the natatorium would be reviewed.

“We will have our policy committee look into that once more,” said Malgieri.

He also responded to comments of a potential conflict of interest for Board School member Robert Carlucci, who founded the Condors and whose son now runs the club. Malgieri said Carlucci signed a conflict of interest statement prior to joining the board.

“Mr. Carlucci signed all those papers,” said Malgieri. “He did not vote on the contract. He not break any law.”

The Condors and Sharks have practice schedules for the coming school year posted on their web sites. The Condors also have pool time at the Westchester Community College pool. The Sharks additionally train in the South Orangetown Middle School and Rockland Community College pools. 

Sharks Co-head Coach John Alaimo told the board he and the Condors met with the district’s acquatics director after two weeks after the board’s July 2 approval of a usage agreement for the 2012-2013 school year.  Sharks owner Todd Langenmayr said he hoped a resolution would be reached that would allocate the usage and hours of the 16, seven-foot-wide competitive pool lanes differently. 

“There are no rules that prohibit both teams from training at the same time,” he said.  

No one from the Condors spoke at the Thursday meeting. The pool is open for community usage as well.