BUCYRUS–A former pool employee reached out to respond to articles and comments about the decision not to open Aumiller pool this year.
Our source wishes to remain anonymous. This person worked more than one season at the pool and was employed post-2019.
Stating they are not alone in the push to keep the pool open, our source wanted to clarify some of the information given about the pool at last week’s finance committee meeting.
Our source fully supports Councilman Kevin Myers’ point that the pool is about the quality of life in our community.
“For all of you, who don’t have the up close and personal perspective that I do, let me lay it out.
I don’t wish to marginalize the patrons of the pool. But, simply put, it’s mostly not families that attend. The pool has regulars. These regulars are kids that will show up to the pool, rain or shine, and stay all day.
And it’s no secret that these regulars don’t always behave beautifully. I need the community to hear this: these kids we see daily are, without a doubt, safer and better off having a place to spend their summer days.
The pool was the sanctuary for kids whose home lives weren’t good for them. And when school is out for the summer, Aumiller pool is the place to be.”
Concerned that kids will be left nowhere to go in the summer, staff worry they’ll get into trouble.
Our source believes the city needs to provide an enriching outlet like Aumiller pool. The pool is as much a social issue as a financial issue.
Some 2022 staff members have taken other jobs, but not all of them. Employment with the pool lasts from June to August. While staff members may have other jobs, this does not exclude them from intending to work at the pool:
“In addition, the claim lifeguards could not be certified in time for the pool opening is false. Typically in-water, lifeguard certification requires sessions over the span of less than a week. In the case of most lifeguards, they were Red Cross certified, which took just one day in the water.”
The online portion of the certification takes about a day as well. Lifeguard certification lasts for two years. So most staff can work immediately.
The committee eluded to the idea that staff knew the pool might close at the end of last summer. No one told them that. They heard rumors but hoped they weren’t true.
Even though the committee seemed saddened by the decision to let the pool stay closed, no one asked any staff members to come and offer input on behalf of the pool. Had they known about the discussions, some would have attended.
Our source did not come to Crawford County Now with complaints only but suggested a way to help increase revenue. The cost of admission to the pool has remained the same for several years; a rate increase might be one way to offset pool expenses. Patrons spend a lot of money on concessions, so it stands to reason they could afford to pay more for admission.
Staffing costs are more than reasonable. Staff not in management make the minimum wage with a 25-cent bonus for each year they return. Competing pools pay their lifeguards upwards of $15.00 an hour.
According to our source, the pool is a great place to work for a community of good people.
One policy was to close the pool after two hours of being opened if there weren’t any patrons. That policy changed last summer. If one patron is at the pool, it now remains open.
The bottom line is that the pool isn’t a straightforward enterprise. The behavior of the patrons is sometimes challenging to deal with. But it benefits the community; “People need to vouch for the pool.” Our source concluded.
Crawford County Now is researching chemical costs for pools comparable with Aumiller pool. $51,000 for chemical costs is roughly twice as much as last year. Our source has no experience in purchasing chemicals for the pool.
The Bucyrus City Council meets next Tuesday at 7 pm in Council chambers.
Crawford County Now will continue to cover this developing news story.