HUMBOLDT — With summer fast approaching, Humboldt City Council members are in a sweat to staff the municipal pool.
“Fact is, we have had zero applicants for lifeguards,” said Mayor Nobby Davis at Monday night’s council meeting.
Usually, eight lifeguards and two managers are hired by spring break, said Staci Johnson, city clerk.
The answer, council members agreed, is to lower the applicant age for lifeguards to 15.
“We have a list of 15-year-olds wanting the jobs,” Davis said.
Lifeguards must be certified, he said. The minimum age for certification is 15.
One manager has been hired so far for the summer.
Council member Sunny Shreeve voiced hesitation about lowering the age from 16 to 15 for lifeguards.
“Being responsible for saving lives is a big responsibility, even for 16-year-olds,” she said. But Shreeve saw no alternative.
Davis, who is in the food service industry, vouched for the younger teens.
“They are ambitious and hard workers,” he said.
Bruce Boettcher of BG Consultants briefly attended the meeting to ensure there were no outstanding questions about the upcoming $13 million water system improvement project.
Boettcher restated the need to replace the water lines which are between 70 to 100 years old, as well as upgrade the water treatment plant and water towers.
The city repairs about 100 breaks in water lines a year, said Jeremy Bulk, public works director.
Davis added, “With help short, that means we have to hire contract labor to repair those breaks,” which is paid at a higher rate than city crew members.
