FOLLANSBEE — The city’s swimming pool is slated to reopen soon with restrictions spurred by COVID-19, including limiting attendance to 25 people at a time.

Before taking a vote on the pool’s reopening, Mayor David Velegol Jr. noted he had been leaning against it.

But he said after seeing various businesses and facilities, including public parks, reopened, he changed his mind, adding he believes being able to go to the pool will boost morale.

Velegol added Gus DiMarzio, the pool’s supervisor, has outlined ways the pool could meet conditions intended to prevent spread of the coronavirus, including taking people’s temperatures before they are admitted and regularly disinfecting the restroom/locker areas.

After weighing the pros and cons of operating the pool under guidelines set by state and local health officials, council voted 3-2 to reopen it.

The move was supported by 3rd Ward Councilwoman Kathy Santoro, 5th Ward Councilwoman Wendy DeAngelis and Councilman at large John Casinelli and opposed by 1st Ward Councilman Charles McCoy and 4th Ward Councilwoman Alexis Russell.

First Ward Councilman Paul Boniey didn’t attend the special meeting.

Santoro said she’s heard from many residents who said they have canceled vacations and eyed the pool as an alternative form of relaxation for them and their children.

Russell said she’s heard from residents who are concerned about spreading the virus.

“Everybody would love to see it open, and I would love to see it open, but there’s a lot involved there,” she said, adding conditions to reopen various establishments aren’t always clear and are subject to change.

One condition of which council became aware on Tuesday was the restriction to 25 patrons.

Velegol and others believed the pool would be permitted to operate at 50 percent of its capacity.

But Brooke County Health Administrator Mike Bolen — who was asked for input — said establishments deemed nonessential must limit their patronage to 25, though he added that could change.

Upon hearing the news, City Manager John DeStefano expressed concern about the financial loss of serving that level of attendance.

It’s a point raised in recent weeks by others, including some who wondered if concerns about exposure to COVID-19 would deter many from visiting the pool.

But Velegol said the pool normally loses money and some measures will help to reduce its cost. He said the pool won’t be heated, which will save about $40,000 for the season, and fewer lifeguards will be needed because of the lesser patronage.

“I think with limited pools opening, you’re going to have more people,” DeAngelis said, while adding planned space restrictions should be enforced.

She also expressed concern that a lifeguard could contract the virus while reviving a drowning victim or vice versa.

But DiMarzio said the lifeguards will be required to wear masks, though patrons won’t. He added it became common practice, before the pandemic, for lifeguards to wear a special plastic mask when performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

He said crews used 6 gallons of bleach to disinfect the pool house and will continue to clean it after the pool has opened.

“I’m confident the people who work with me and for me will maintain the guidelines,” he told council, adding the pool could be closed after a month if it’s deemed necessary.

In other business, council agreed, at Velegol’s request, to the 35 full- and part-time city employees who worked through the shelter-in-place order a $250 bonus or three additional days of paid vacation.

“The employees really have gone out of their way to keep the city services running,” the mayor said.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)