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Hurricane officials discuss raising referee and lifeguard pay as recreation programs show tight margins
Summary
City staff reported program deficits in several recreation activities and recommended higher starting pay for referees and retention steps for lifeguards; council members asked for budget estimates and said they would consider modest wage increases tied to retention and experience.
Hurricane City staff discussed proposed increases to pay for volunteer and seasonal recreation workers, saying current starting rates are straining retention of referees and lifeguards and contributing to program deficits.
Staff reported the city currently pays referees about $8.50 to start and that lifeguards are paid roughly $11–$12 per hour depending on duties and whether they teach swim lessons. Multiple council members and staff said the $8.50 referee starting rate makes it difficult to recruit and retain referees for youth leagues; one council member suggested offering higher starting pay, larger raises for returning referees, or recruiting older teens and adults for higher-wage slots.
Council and staff discussed the difficulty of keeping seasonal staff from leaving after a single season and the limited effect of token raises. Staff said internships, incremental raises for returning employees, and a two-tier approach (higher pay for adults and certified referees; base pay for youth learning the job) could improve retention while controlling program costs.
Program revenue and costs were raised as factors. Staff said some programs, such as volleyball and baseball, show slim or negative margins; sponsorships help, but rising uniform/shirt costs and participation prices are factors. One option discussed was increasing registration fees or adding a fixed equipment charge (for example, adding $10–$12 to registration to cover shirts and supplies) when sponsors do not cover those costs.
No formal wage changes were approved at the meeting. Staff were directed to produce detailed cost estimates, including the budgetary impact of raising referees’ starting pay and the effect of tiered increases for returning referees and lifeguards. Council members asked that proposed changes include implementation details, such as whether raises would be automatic for returning staff and whether differential pay would apply for certified or adult referees.
