City commissioners hear update on Madison Aquatic Center

Madison City Commissioners received an update on the Madison Aquatic Center during their regular meeting on Monday. 

City Administrator Jameson Berreth told commissioners that there will be very few lifeguards with experience working at the Madison Aquatic Center because it hasn’t been open for two summers.  He suggested to commissioners that the city increase wages in order to be competitive and able to hire more lifeguards for this summer.

Berreth said that as a way to try to keep lifeguards working through the entire summer until the pool closes, they are proposing to offer a two-hundred dollar bonus for those who stay on the schedule through August.  

Berreth also encouraged commissioners to look at hiring a seasonal coordinator or manager for the facility to oversee some of the day to day operations and take some of the stress off of the Community Center.  

Community Center Director Gene Wockenfuss told commissioners that he and Aquatics Coordinator Laurie Bunker are meeting with current lifeguards this week to determine how many are planning to stay on through the summer.  He said they anticipate needing to hire an additional ten-to-twelve more lifeguards in order to staff both the Community Center and Aquatic Center pools.  Wockenfuss said lifeguards need to be at least fifteen years old.  

Berreth also updated commissioners Monday on the repair work being done at the Aquatic Center.

Another recommendation that Berreth made to commissioners is to move the operations of the Aquatic Center back to the Community Center.

Berreth told the commission that no action needed to be taken on what he updated them on Monday, but instead it was for discussion and possible action at a later time.