DOVER — Faced with a shortage of lifeguards and school crossing guards, the city is considering raising the pay of those positions, as well as those of other seasonal and part-time employees.
Lifeguards at Dover City Pool earned $9.30 an hour (Ohio minimum wage) in 2022. Due to a shortage of lifeguards, the pool had to close for about five days last summer.
“It’s tough when you’re offering $9.30 an hour and some fast food outlets are offering $13 or something like that,” Acting Mayor Shane Gunnoe recently told council. “So we certainly think we have advantages working for the city, but we have to be more competitive in terms of compensation.”
After:Going out with a bang – Scott Jerles retires as Dover Parks Manager
He noted that New Philadelphia pays its lifeguards $10.50 per hour and the Uhrichsville Water Park pays $11.50 per hour.
The administration proposes to increase the wages of seasonal and part-time aides starting January 1:
- Pool supervisor – $18 per hour. This price will include swimming lessons given at the pool.
- Lifeguards – $12 per hour.
- Chief Lifeguard – $12.75 per hour.
- All seasonal employees in dealerships and seasonal departments not listed above will be paid $10.75 per hour. The dealership manager will receive $13 per hour.
- School crossing guard – $12.50 per hour.
- Memorial Hall security maintenance employees and Deis Hill caretaker will earn a base rate of $12 per hour.
Services manager Dave Douglas said it was difficult to get seasonal help.
“We just can’t get help, period,” he said. “The guys are depending on these youngsters to do a lot of mowing for us and do things that our guys don’t have time to do in the summer in all departments.”
After:New walkway adds to Dover City Park improvements
Gunnoe added: “There aren’t enough full-time staff there to run the park without summer help. They must have that. This year we’ve struggled to attract people at times. We’ve posted several Facebook posts, we’ve posted them on the city’s website.”
The city can afford the raises, Auditor Nicole Stoldt said. In good years, the city hires about 80 young people as seasonal employees.
Dover needs crossing guards
Councilor John Correll said he would like the crossing guards to earn more than $12.50 an hour because the work can be dangerous. Councilor Sandy Moss suggested $13.50 per hour.
Currently, Dover has seven brigadiers. Their starting salary is $9.30 an hour, but some earn more than that due to their years of service.
“We can’t get school crossing guards, and we have to give them something to get them out,” security director Gerry Mroczkowski said. “It’s a thankless job. These people are going to get hit by cars. Parents have no respect for them.
“I’m grateful that we have the dedicated crossing guards that we have there.”
Dover once had a waiting list of people wanting to work as crossing guards, but that is no longer the case, he noted.
The Council will discuss the issue again at its meeting on December 19.
