City turning to pay increases to attract lifeguards

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With the pool season about a month away and only half the needed lifeguards on board for the summer, city officials have opted for pay increases as an incentive.

“We want lifeguards,” City Councilman Adam Cohen said, “so this is what we’re up against.”

Cohen, who is men’s swim coach at DePauw and knows his way around pool operations, made the motion to approve first reading of Ordinance 2022-2, adjusting pay rates in three categories.

Under the ordinance, the head lifeguard will be paid $15 an hour, while guards returning for a second summer or more at the Greencastle Aquatic Center will receive $12 per hour. First-time guards will be paid $11 per hour.

All guards will receive an additional 75 cents per hour for teaching swimming lessons.

Mayor Bill Dory said the new pay rate was arrived at after park officials surveyed what competitors are paying.

“With ours being an outdoor pool,” Councilman Cohen continued, “we can’t guarantee them the number of hours they might get at DePauw or someplace else. They can guarantee the number of hours that we can’t.”

New Park Director Greg Ruark said “fewer than 10” lifeguard candidates had applied at the time.

“Names are starting to pop up,” he said. “People are starting to reach out. I have a hunch we’ll pull through and I feel good about not necessarily where we are but where we’re going.”

He said plans are to discuss options at the next Park Board meeting on May 4 should the lifeguard goal not be met and hours need to be altered with a limited staff.

First reading of the amended salary ordinance passed unanimously with adoption on second reading expected at the City Council’s May 12 meeting.

The City Council also passed Ordinance 2022-1 on second and final reading, re-establishing the Cumulative Capital Development Fund.

First established in 1985, the fund is enacted at .05 on each $100 of assessed valuation on taxes levied for 2022, payable 2023.

The Council also approved the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission (RDC) annual report on a motion by Dave Murray, who noted that the RDC fund will have almost $17 by Dec. 31.

“I feel like financially we’re in a good position,” Murray said. “And I say that for the public’s benefit. Some people have asked me about the YMCA project and what it’s going to cost as well as other things the city may want to do. But on Dec. 31, we have almost $17 million in the fund, so obviously you folks will make some recommendations and decisions about all that.”

In other business, the Council:

-- Heard Cemetery Superintendent Jason Keeney report that the annual Memorial Day service at Forest Hill Cemetery will be at 10 a.m. May 30. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

-- Heard Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar report the city will again sponsor a heavy trash day, likely sometime in June. With the Greencastle High School parking lot unavailable for the trash day event because of ongoing construction, city officials are looking for an alternative site.

-- Heard Councilman Cody Eckert, who is the new Putnam County Chamber executive director, report that the first Greencastle Farmers Market is scheduled for May 21 downtown. He said he is still taking applications from vendors and can be contacted via the Chamber website.

-- Heard Mayor Dory report that residents can still recycle glass in an exclusive dumpster at the Republic transfer station on West Columbia Street. However, putting glass bottles in homeowners’ toters often results in breakage, which can contaminate cardboard and paper and compromise the entire recycle load, Dory said.

-- Approved street and alley closures and use of a portion of the city parking lot north of the Banner Graphic for the Putnam County Mural Project Sept. 11-24 and Sept. 23 on the south side of the square for a celebration on the grassy lot in the middle of the block.

-- Authorized street closings along North Indiana, North Vine and Columbia streets for the third annual Murph Workout fitness event sponsored by Piper Voss of The Warehouse. The May 30 event is free of charge and set for 8 a.m. to noon.

-- Approved use of County Road 50 South for a portion of the 2022 Dust Bowl ride May 3 in which 600 bicyclists are scheduled to ride the back roads from Eminence in Morgan County into Putnam for 95 percent of the Elevate Endeavor ride.

-- Approved noise ordinance waivers for Phi Kappa Psi for its Little 5 and Wedding (faux ceremony) events on May 14.

-- Approved noise ordinances for two Phi Delta Theta events, a music festival and an April 29 Phi-Lighter event in the frat house basement.

Councilors Cohen, Murray, Eckert and Veronica Pejril attended 70-minute the April session. Council member Mark Hammer, Darrel Thomas and Stacy Langdon were absent.

The Council next meets in regular session at 7 p.m. Thursday, May12 at City Hall.