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City Controller seeks casino-fund supplement to hire 10 seasonal lifeguards
Summary
City Controller Beck asked the Ways and Means Committee to revise the 2026 casino operating fund to cover about 10 additional seasonal lifeguards, supplementing roughly $127,241 in remaining ARPA funds that will cover nine positions; the budget includes overtime and gear allowances.
City Controller Beck told the Gary City Ways and Means Committee on April 14 that the administration is proposing a revision to the 2026 casino operating fund to hire a total of 19 seasonal lifeguards for parks and beaches.
Beck said an ordinance approved in 2024 (ordinance 9683) left about $127,241 in ARPA funding for summer youth programming that can cover about nine lifeguards. "We have about 127,241 that's left over," Beck said. "That 127,000 is enough to fund about nine of those lifeguards." The administration is proposing a supplement from the casino fund to pay for the remaining 10 positions.
The controller said the budget line for total personal services includes roughly $129,606 from the casino fund to make up the shortfall. The staffing plan calls for two supervisor lifeguards and a seasonal director among the 19 positions; all other lifeguards are seasonal.
Beck noted the proposed budget also accounts for approximately $3,000 in overtime to cover special events and about $11,000 for gear, plus worker's compensation and FICA. "That amount does include about 3,000 in overtime... as well as the workers comp and the FICA," Beck said. An itemized page showing exact salary amounts was attached to the materials provided to council members.
A committee member who identified herself as Ivy asked where the 19-lifeguard requirement originated. A Parks Department representative replied that the number was intended to ensure coverage for beaches, to cover call-offs and to staff special events.
No formal vote was recorded during the presentation; the item was presented for committee consideration and questions.
The administration characterized the change as a budget revision that leaves the remainder of the casino fund unchanged aside from the proposed personal-services supplement. The committee moved on to the next ordinance at the conclusion of questioning.
