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Council hears pool staffing shortage and internal debate over $50,000 slide
Summary
Parks Director Don Patterson said the pool opening date remains pending because the city has only one certified lifeguard and needs about 10; council also debated whether to refabricate a $50,000 slide or sell it, with liability and Ohio code compliance cited as obstacles.
Parks & Recreation Director Don Patterson told council the pool open date is "to be announced" because the department currently has only one lifeguard fully processed; he said five more candidates are undergoing interviews and background checks. "Right now I only have one lifeguard that has gone through the process. I need about 10 for it to run fully functional," Patterson said. Council members said recruitment began months earlier and discussed outreach to local high schools and social media.
Council also discussed a $50,000 water slide the city purchased that is currently disassembled. Councilman Mayo argued for refurbishing and retaining the slide rather than selling it for a low price, saying the city "paid $50,000 for it; if we can come up with a way to fix it, we do." Councilman Albaugh countered that the slide "doesn't meet Ohio Code" and insurance and Ohio Department of Health approval would be necessary; Mr. Johnson said any redesign would require engineering designs, health‑department sign‑off and insurance review before the slide could be used again.
