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Residents, lifeguards and staff urge Cheektowaga to preserve pools and youth programs amid proposed cuts
Summary
Multiple residents, town lifeguard instructors and youth-recreation staff told the board that proposed reductions to the recreation and lifeguard lines would reduce swim lessons, close pools and eliminate affordable childcare options. Speakers cited heavy program use, state grants tied to pool projects and public-safety concerns.
Residents and town employees told the Cheektowaga Town Board at its Nov. 6 public hearing that proposed cuts to the youth and recreation budget threaten core services, public safety and low-cost activities for children and seniors.
Doreen Friedrich, a lifelong Cheektowaga resident, told the board she was skipping her water-aerobics class to speak and described multi-generational demand for swim lessons, summer playground programs and holiday events. "These are quality of life issues that enhance the life of our residents," Friedrich said, urging the board not to cut the recreation department.
Lillian Stoll, a college student, volunteer EMT and part-time recreation employee since 2022, described the jobs as "life changing" for teenagers and said cuts would remove leadership opportunities and supervised activities. She said year-round swim lessons, adult water aerobics and adapted recreation for people with disabilities are at stake.
Kathy Giles, a town pool consultant with more than five decades of service to town pools, and Sean Kunkel, the town's current pool director, detailed the lifeguarding and lesson program. They said municipal lessons serve about 1,400 participants annually and that the department charges $47 for a 15-hour summer swim lesson package. Giles and Kunkel warned that cutting the lifeguard line by roughly $115,750 or eliminating seasonal staff could force closure of pools (the presentation named Maryvale and Dinges as potentially affected) and jeopardize state grant-funded improvements.
Speakers also noted recent and pending grant awards: Towne Park received a $2,260,000 state grant under the New York Swim program for improvements; Dinges Pool received approximately an $840,000 DASNY grant and a $30,000 private donation for building improvements. Speakers said those projects depend on keeping pools open to receive funds and to avoid vandalism at empty facilities.
Multiple parents and former program participants read written statements into the record stressing that summer day camp and extended-hours programming provide affordable childcare for working families and are essential to teen leadership opportunities through the YES (Youth Engagement Service) program.
Board members acknowledged the public comment and said they were weighing statutory constraints (New York's tax cap) against calls to preserve services. No final decision on pool hours or program cuts was reached at the hearing; the budget resolutions were tabled to the next meeting for further consideration.
