August 23
...serving up your daily dish.
Somehow, we don't think they're having this problem at the Maplewood Pool. But here in Baristaville, it's the season when a lifeguard's fancy turns to something other than sitting by the pool. Some Montclair lifeguards are bailing and need to be replaced, and the mayor hopes interested parties will step up and dive in.
As often happens near the end of the summer, many of those who signed up to be lifeguards at the three town pools bail out early, some to go back to college. Because of this, we might have to close one or more of the pools before Labor Day. We are looking for teens and adults who have lifeguard/CPR training and who can start immediately. Interested folks can contact Pat Brechka, Director of Recreation at 509-4215.
Ed Remsen
If this happens every year, maybe we need to do something to entice guards to staying through the season. Better pay? Lobster rolls?
August 23, 2005 in Where For Art Thou? | Permalink
I just don't get it. First, I was told that this was the summer one pool would be open until 8 each night of the week.
"We just can't ask the guards to stay until 8 after their long day." Puh-lease! That's what the job calls for. The 7 p.m. closing time is absurd for commuters. And now, with 2 weeks left in the season, they want to close early. If the fees need to go up, please do so but make the hours accessible and the season go past the arbitrary Labor Day holiday.
Posted by: Linda | Aug 23, 2005 9:07:33 AM
Just a question (I'm a resident of WO):
Do these pools have lights? I was a cert. lifeguard for years and around the twilight hours, it gets REALLY hard to see people in the water - not exactly something you would want. Nightswimming needs to either very well lit, or prohibited.
As for the kids leaving early, well, with college one has little choice, but for others, it seems a bit unprofessional.
Posted by: Dog Mom | Aug 23, 2005 9:29:14 AM
Whaddabout "Golden Handcuffs"? My college student niece works in an amusement park and gets a bonus if she works a minimum number of hours and stays until a pre-determined date.
I confess that years ago I just couldn't stand the conditions (crowding, no place to sit, no greenspace, no chairs, etc.) at the town pool and put up an above ground job in my backyard.
It wasn't cheaper than 12 years of dues in the local municipal pool...but it's been way cheaper than a dozen years of membership in the private joints.
I realize that my solution wouldn't suit everyone.
Posted by: mediaguy | Aug 23, 2005 9:32:24 AM
We've been going to Essex pool and this week it was closed Sunday and when it is open half the pool has been blocked off because there aren't enough lifeguards. I am really surprised the shortage wasn't predicted and dealt with before people have to be turned away. The other thing that has bothered me is that no one seems to be responsible for keeping the deck clean. This whole week there has been some broken plastic thing in a million sharp little pieces all over the deck and no one has bothered to sweep it up. I know we don't pay as much as other towns but come on. There has to be at least one person responsible for that.
Posted by: claire | Aug 23, 2005 9:57:10 AM
Does the town still offer lifeguard training and certification in the spring? If so, those of you with teen-age kids should encourage them to take it (When mine were teenagers, I did, but wasn't successful in convincing them). It would give them guarenteed employment for the summer.
Posted by: Bitpusher | Aug 23, 2005 10:06:03 AM
As a parent of a former lifeguard the main reasons for this shortage at the end of the summer include: 1)The college students who are going away to school need a few days of vacation time to shop and pack before they leave - some schools have already started freshman orientation.2) High school students have also gone back to high school sports. Football, soccer , field hockey, and all other fall sports have double sessions at this time of year. My child has practice from 7:45 - 10:30 and then 12:45 - 3:45. 3) Teachers who guard also have to begin preparing for next month - lesson plans, bulletin boards, etc.So who's left? Not many - so the people who do the hiring next year should plan for x# of college kids, x# of high school atletes and x# of kids who can stay until the pool closes.
Posted by: josham | Aug 23, 2005 10:10:29 AM
I like the idea of offering bonuses for those who stay through Labor Day weekend. If our guards are leaving to go back to college, maybe the Rec Department can recruit Montclair State, Bloomfield or Caldwell College students to guard for the last two weeks of the season??
Posted by: MontclairMom | Aug 23, 2005 11:27:46 AM
There's an interesting social assumption above, to the effect that students from such modest local institutions as Montclair State, Bloomfield and Caldwell of course don't live in Baristaville, are thus available to fill in as lifeguards while Baristaville's heirs scurry off to better seats of higher education, all of them of course too far away to commute back to work from.
Perhaps the next assumption in such a chain is that such students at Montclair, Bloomfield and Caldwell are also, at best then, the offspring of the domestic help class of Baristaville?
Franklin, do you have anything coherent to add to this apparent cultural divide?
Posted by: cathar | Aug 23, 2005 12:12:18 PM
"...Perhaps the next assumption in such a chain is that such students at Montclair, Bloomfield and Caldwell are also, at best then, the offspring of the domestic help class of Baristaville?..."
Ugh!
I would be *happy* if my kids (in about 10 years) go to Montclair State, since we will (hopefully) be able to afford it, and they can then continue to live at home. Unless of course by then I want to throw them out. Guess this means I'm a working class non-domestic?
p.s. Where I'm from, lifeguarding was a coveted job steeped in cool. (However, maybe that's because it was at the beach.)
Kay
Posted by: Kay | Aug 23, 2005 1:27:32 PM
If the (spoiled) Montclair kids need time off to rest before school starts (!) or workout with their teams, let's recruit from other places - maybe there are some kids from Newark who'd like a job? This happens EVERY year, so why don't we prepare in advance? Why don't we recruit some kids who really need a job, pay their fee to take the lifesaving class if they sign a contract to work through labor day? Let the kids who don't or can't really work through the summer find employment elsewhere.
Posted by: Jen | Aug 23, 2005 1:32:36 PM
Just mentioned this to my son, for his friend who is a lifeguard at the GRCC.
Posted by: gc | Aug 23, 2005 1:36:10 PM
"There's an interesting social assumption above, to the effect that students from such modest local institutions as Montclair State, Bloomfield and Caldwell of course don't live in Baristaville, are thus available to fill in as lifeguards while Baristaville's heirs scurry off to better seats of higher education, all of them of course too far away to commute back to work from."
That is not the assumption at all.
Those lifeguards who attend college in the area are already available to stay on until the end of the summer. The suggestion is that those lifeguards who are leaving to attend college somewhere else be replaced by lifeguards who are coming here to attend one of the many colleges in the area. The relative modesty or immodesty of the educational institutions attended by either group is irrelevant.
Posted by: Bitpusher | Aug 23, 2005 2:11:40 PM
Since the lack of lifeguards do to school and athletic commitments is predictable, it would be nice if the town could post something on line and at the pools saying which pools would be closed when.
Posted by: Bitpusher | Aug 23, 2005 2:24:00 PM
does anyone form a group and complain?or is it only the passive aggressive educated that keep their mouth shut and not confront the offenders--whether it be the police department-the operators of the community pool-the township regarding art-education-and crime--or is it only the jobless who seem to have time to march-
--come on this life guard issue is a year in and year out issue
"-As often happens near the end of the summer, many of those who signed up to be lifeguards at the three town pools bail out early"
unscheduled closings mean ticked off paying people--why aren't you asking for a refund for the last 2 weeks of the summer if they can't fill positions that mean safety and time are compromised-
if your pool is a disgrace then perhaps a complaint to the health department may be necessary since if they are not cleaning up a piece of plastic-although i would have probably picked it up myself and tossed it--the chances are the water may not be properly maintained--
if the train stations are a disgrace then form a group and get it cleaned up--
if your town is being burgled make some noise-if your park is filled with poop make some noise--
i know your tired after working to pay your mortgage-your tax payment-but the squeaky wheel gets the oil people -i know i was a civil servant and the first words out of many people's mouth were -i'm the one who contributes to your paycheck only not so nice...
Posted by: cstarling | Aug 23, 2005 8:31:33 PM
We discussed this issue at last night's Council meeting; the Manager will make and communicate the decisions about what, if any, pools have to be closed early. We obvioulsy have a unique situation in that we have three public pools. Going forward, we will hold back pay and/or offer bonuses-if-you-stay-until Labor Day so this problem does not re-occur next year.
Posted by: Ed Remsen | Aug 24, 2005 8:22:55 AM
We discussed this issue at last night's Council meeting; the Manager will make and communicate the decisions about what, if any, pools have to be closed early. We obviously have a unique situation in that we have three public pools. Going forward, we will hold back pay and/or offer bonuses-if-you-stay-until Labor Day so this problem does not re-occur next year.
Posted by: Ed Remsen | Aug 24, 2005 8:23:31 AM
