The Trenton Park Board Pool Committee on April 5th discussed raising pay for pool staff and daily rates. Information is to be presented to the Park Board on April 6th for the board to vote. The Pool Committee meeting was originally to be at the Park Office, but it was moved to Barnes Greenhouses due to the Park Office being locked at the meeting’s start time.
The Pool Committee wants to raise pool staff pay to $10 per hour for employees in their first year as certified lifeguards. This is a $1 per hour more than first-year certified lifeguards last year. Non-certified staff members last year were paid $8 per hour and did things like run the concession stand.
Staff members returning this year for their second year would be paid $10.25 per hour. Those returning for a third year would be paid $10.50, and others would receive a 25-cent per hour raise each year they return. Pool Committee Chairperson Andy Cox mentioned returning employees had historically been given a 25-cent per hour raise for each year they came back.
The pool manager would be paid $13.50 per hour, which is an increase of $1.50 per hour from last year. The assistant manager would get $11.50 per hour, which is up $1.25 from last year.
Cox reported the city is exempt from the minimum wage law. Missouri’s minimum wage is $11.15 per hour.
Cox, Pool Committee Member Beth Mack, and Park Board President Curtis Crawford said they hated to not pay the minimum wage, even if the city did not have to. However, this would get the pay rates closer to minimum wage.
Cox reported pool labor last year cost about $44,200. If the city paid the minimum wage this year, he said labor would be about $53,000. The pool made about $47,000 last year total. About $11,000 was made from concessions, and $8,000 was paid for concession supplies.
A training stipend was offered last year of $75 per year for two years, which is $150 total if a staff member worked all last year and this year. The Pool Committee wants to still offer the stipend.
Cox noted it takes nine workers daily to run the pool. There are seven lifeguards, one front desk person, and one person at the concession stand to fully staff the pool.
Cox said the pool staff used to rotate, and employees would take turns being lifeguards and running the concession stand. He explained that did not happen last year because there were not enough certified lifeguards. He hoped a rotation could happen this year if there are enough certified lifeguards.
Cox commented he had not heard about any pool staff being hired yet this year. The city is still looking for pool employees.
The Pool Committee wants to see daily pool rates increase by $1 for attendees two to 55 years old to $6. Senior daily passes would be $3, which is an increase of 50 cents and half price of the regular daily admission. The daily rate for non-swimmers would also increase by 50 cents to $1.50. Individuals younger than two years old would still be admitted for free.
Mack said she hated to raise prices because things are getting expensive in general. Crawford noted the pool has to make money somewhere. The Park Board passed a deficit budget last month.
The prices for season passes would stay the same. Cox reported the passes last year cost $225 for a family, $110 for single, $25 for seniors, $25 for lap swimmers, $250 for a two-hour pool party, and $2.50 per person for a non-profit party with more than 25 people.
Cox said there were 73 family, five lap, 14 single, and 16 senior passes sold last year. There was an average daily attendance of 124.
The Pool Committee wanted to get more information about swimming lessons.
Pool Committee Member Derek Miller was absent from April 5th’s meeting.
