Parks board discusses pool staffing, costs and lifeguard recruitment ahead of summer

Sunnyside City parks and recreation board members spent most of their March meeting on plans for the community pool, reviewing operating costs from nearby cities, discussing lifeguard recruitment and certification and planning outreach and hiring to meet a target opening around Memorial Day weekend.

The board heard that Grandview estimated 2025 pool operating expenses at roughly $137,210 and generated about $14,800 in revenue, figures board members cited as an example while discussing staffing levels, hours and program-related costs. Board members said those costs reflected roughly 2.575 full-time-equivalent positions (including partial manager and lifeguard staffing) and that pool hours and the number of days open affected whether the pool could run without running deficits.

Board members focused on lifeguard recruitment…