Aquatics director resigns; staff outline lifeguard hiring and summer operations

Parks staff announced the aquatics director has resigned since the last meeting and said the city will not fill the full-time position before the pool opens this summer. Instead, staff said members will divide responsibilities across a committee.

A parks staff member described the temporary split of duties: Holly and Jamie will oversee concessions; Nick, a recreation coordinator, will manage lifeguard staffing and scheduling; and Nate and the staff member will handle pool maintenance and operations. "So Chip doesn't have to do it all," the staff member said.

Staff reported they had hired about 30 lifeguards and remain in late-stage interviews to reach a pool of roughly 50 needed to cover shifts across the season; staff said the operation uses about 12 lifeguards per day but needs more hires to cover days off. Training for lifeguards is scheduled before the next board meeting, and staff said the pool is slated to open on Memorial Day weekend.

The board approved the human resources report by voice vote during the meeting. Staff also warned of large upfront pool expenses already processed this spring, including a rebuilt pool filter ($37,000), rebuilt pumps (about $10,000), and an ordered $30,000 supply of pool chemicals.

Board members asked about scheduling and labor hours; staff said they will stagger shifts to avoid excessive hours and tag-team maintenance coverage for early mornings and late-night closings.