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Stevensville council approves lifeguard wage ranges, agrees to pay certification and sets timeline for pool opening
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Summary
Councilors approved a wage range for lifeguards and the pool manager, voted to reimburse lifeguard certification costs, and set a preliminary pool opening for June 8 with a final decision due May 28. The moves aim to address staffing shortfalls and limited applicant responses.
The Stevensville Town Council approved a plan April 27 to raise lifeguard pay to a negotiated range and to cover lifeguard certification costs while setting a preliminary pool-opening date for June 8, 2026, with a final determination at the May 28 council meeting.
Council members met after a staff presentation showing recent seasonal losses for the pool and comparing Stevensville’s swim-lesson rates with nearby facilities. Robert, a town staff member who presented the revenue-and-expense review, told the council that revenues have increased when lessons are filled but the pool has run at a subsidy in recent years. “We’ve always subsidized it,” Robert said, adding that maximizing lessons in 2025 reduced the season’s net loss.
Why it matters: Councilors said low pay and the cost and timing of certification were keeping applicants away. With only one applicant reported so far, the town moved to boost recruitment by raising pay, hosting or reimbursing certification locally, and setting clear deadlines so the pool-opening decision would be tied to staffing and training availability.
What the council approved: Councilor Ross moved, and the council voted to approve a wage band for lifeguards of $13.50–$15 per hour and a manager range of $15–$18 per hour. The motion passed with council members recorded as voting aye during the roll call.
Certification and hiring steps: Council later approved a motion to reimburse or otherwise pay for lifeguard certification so new hires could be trained without incurring large travel costs. Councilors debated adding retention language requiring recruits to work a set period (for example 30 days) or to reimburse the town if they leave early; staff said legal review would be required before adopting enforceable repayment terms.
Timing and next steps: Staff and council identified an upcoming training window (a May 26 start date was cited) and agreed on internal hiring and training targets. The council approved a preliminary opening date of June 8, 2026, contingent on hiring and pool readiness, and set a final vote on May 28 to confirm whether certified lifeguards and systems will be in place.
Council process and budget context: Robert told the council that the pool operates from the general fund and that incremental wage increases and certification payments would be inexpensive relative to the town’s budget target but would still require budgeting and a future resolution to formalize wages and any reimbursement policy.
Additional operational notes: Council discussed options to increase revenue or reduce costs — for example, selling vendor spots near the pool, running sponsored positions, or adding an in-district/out-of-district fee structure in future seasons — but agreed those are separate items for later discussion. They also instructed staff to develop a clear swim-lesson program and requested a town attorney review of any reimbursement/retention agreement.
The council set the next procedural step: a final decision on the pool opening and any resolution on wages and certification language at the May 28 council meeting.
